Minneapolis rejects Skydio DFR contract 6-6 (Jul. 16, 2026)
Minneapolis, MN City Council Rejection of Skydio Police Drone-as-First-Responder Contract (2026)
Minneapolis, MN · Minneapolis City Council 6-6 deadlock, July 16, 2026, rejecting MPD Skydio drone-as-first-responder contract
- Status
- In effect
- Took effect
- July 16, 2026
- Applies to
- Minneapolis Police Department (may not proceed with the Skydio DFR contract); City of Minneapolis procurement
- Enforced by
- Minneapolis City Council (contract authority)
On July 16, 2026, the Minneapolis City Council deadlocked 6-6 on a proposed contract with drone maker Skydio for a police drone-as-first-responder (DFR) program, killing the deal. The vote followed a 75-day free trial Skydio provided the Minneapolis Police Department in north Minneapolis. Council opposition centered on Skydio's sales to ICE and to Israel, and on data-leak concerns. The rejection ends, for now, MPD's path to a permanent DFR program, making Minneapolis one of the larger US cities to decline a police drone contract after piloting one.
Who is protected: Minneapolis residents — particularly north Minneapolis residents who were subject to the trial deployment — who will not be surveilled by a permanent MPD drone-as-first-responder program under this contract
Legal detail
Minneapolis City Council 6-6 tie vote, July 16, 2026; motion to approve the Skydio DFR contract failed for lack of a majority. Preceded by a 75-day no-cost MPD trial deployment in north Minneapolis. Stated grounds among opposing members: Skydio's contracts with ICE and sales to Israel, and data-security/data-leak concerns. Protective decision (contract rejection) — indexed status 'effective' per dataset convention for operative protective outcomes.
Key facts
| Jurisdiction | Minneapolis, MN |
|---|---|
| Level | City / local |
| Strength | Moderate |
| Enacted | July 16, 2026 |
| Citation | Minneapolis City Council 6-6 deadlock, July 16, 2026, rejecting MPD Skydio drone-as-first-responder contract |
| Topics | police and surveillance AI · robotics · consumer data privacy |
| News report | Minneapolis City Council rejects police drone contract with Skydio — MPR News |
More AI rules in Minneapolis, MN
- Minneapolis algorithmic rent ban (Ord. 2025-010, eff. Mar 1, 2026) · In effect
- Minneapolis robotaxi safety-monitor ordinance (proposed 2026) · Proposed / pending
- Minneapolis Data Center Moratorium · In effect
- Minneapolis Public Schools · In effect
- Minneapolis FR Ban · In effect
- Ordinance banning city and police department use of facial recognition… · In effect
Related police and surveillance AI rules elsewhere
- NAACP v. xAI (Colossus 2 Air Pollution) · Blocked / in litigation
- Chatrie v. United States (Fourth Amendment protection for location… · Blocked / in litigation
- Virginia § 15.2-1723.2 (facial recognition by local law enforcement, eff. July 1, 2026) · In effect
- Huntington WV Flock contract approved 6-4 (Jul. 14, 2026) · In effect
- ACLU-WV v. Huntington (Flock contract mandamus) · Blocked / in litigation
- Cleveland OH Flock 6-month renewal w/ data-sharing restrictions (Jul. 15, 2026) · In effect
See something wrong or out of date? Submit a correction. Every entry must carry a verifiable source.