Flock CEO says drones are 'probably our fastest growing business', but consumer rights groups say they can 'jeopardize privacy' like license plate readers

Date:
Wed, 19 Aug 2026 22:00:00 +0000

Description:
Despite a public backlash against the tech, Flock's business is continuing to expand beyond license plate readers.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Flock's CEO says its drone business is doing well The drones are deployed in first responder situations Privacy groups say the devices are open to misuse While the public backlash against Flock's camera technology continues, it seems it's not damaging the company's bottom line too much: Flock Safety CEO Garrett Langley says that drones are "probably our fastest growing business right now", accounting for just under half of forward-looking revenue at the last count.

The comments were made on The All-In Podcast (via Business Insider ), in a wide-ranging interview that covered AI, facial recognition, the criticism
that Flock is facing, and how the company is improving on safety and misuse. Default data retention for Flock's license plate readers has now been reduced from 30 days to 7 days, for example. On the drones, these flying machines are being sold to law enforcement agencies and local authorities as DFRs Drones as First Responders. The idea is that a drone can take off and weigh up a potentially volatile situation before police officers can get there, leading to valuable intel being gathered as quickly as possible. Latest Videos From TechRadar Watch full video here:

Langley actually gives an example in his interview : an emergency report in the Dallas-Fort Worth area about a man brandishing a gun. A drone was dispatched, found that the 'gun' was actually a large lighter, and the incident was de-escalated before any face-to-face confrontation had happened. Privacy concerns continue ALL-IN INTERVIEW: Flock Safety CEO Garrett Langley joins @Jason !All-In Interview Series is brought to you by:@AppLovin & @numeral @glangley covers:-- The Real Price of Safety vs. Privacy-- Why
People Are Cutting the Cameras Down-- Who Really Gets Your License pic.twitter.com/pIzc4FsI5b August 18, 2026 Despite Flock's insistence that
its drones and license plate readers are more helpful than harmful, privacy groups continue to question the guidelines in place around the technology,
and the potential for misuse. The company says it's working hard to stop its cameras being used for unauthorized spying, as has happened in the past . You may like California city approves the use of Flock drones as first responders Flock CEO says 'we're not Big Brother' in the face of surveillance claims
LAPD cites privacy concerns as it drops Flock surveillance cameras

Without proper oversight, the worry is that drones will be used for an increasing number of surveillance tasks and not always with the right oversight. The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) has said that the
adoption of drones like the ones Flock sells "jeopardizes privacy in communities across the country".

That's particularly true when automated AI is involved, or vulnerable people are targeted, the EFF suggests. Meanwhile, American Civil Liberties Union analyst Jay Stanley has written about multiple concerns with drones: their
use for intimidation and surveillance, a lack of proper oversight, and a squeezing out of consumer drone operations. Get daily insight, inspiration
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Judging by the reactions to The All-In Podcast interview, the general public or at least those on X aren't happy about the increased use of drones as first responders,. even if Flock's CEO is. "Do not normalize mass surveillance," comments one user , summing up the overall feeling on the thread. Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. The best laptops for all budgets Our top picks, based on real-world testing and comparisons

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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/cameras/drones/flock-ceo-says-drones-are-probably-ou r-fastest-growing-business-but-consumer-rights-groups-say-they-can-jeopardize- privacy-like-license-plate-readers


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