Conservatives have watched police drones spread across America like a surveillance plague.
But most Republicans stayed silent while law enforcement agencies bought flying cameras with your tax dollars.
Now Byron Donalds just drew a line in the sand against Big Brother that has police chiefs panicking.
Leading gubernatorial candidate takes on surveillance state
Florida's front-runner for governor fired a warning shot at the law enforcement surveillance complex this week that sent shockwaves through police departments statewide.
U.S. Congressman Byron Donalds, backed by President Trump and sitting on a $40 million war chest, declared he'll "ground" police drone expansion if elected.
"Not in my Florida!" Donalds posted on X after The Wall Street Journal exposed how police drones are becoming America's newest traffic cops.¹
The Naples Republican didn't just oppose traffic drones — he went after the whole automated enforcement racket that's been bleeding Florida drivers dry for years.
"I oppose red light cameras, and as Governor, I'll ground these drones," Donalds wrote.²
https://twitter.com/ByronDonalds/status/2006027255881871818?s=20
His campaign clarified the position goes beyond just issuing tickets.
"Drones should not be used to issue tickets or create broad surveillance of Floridians," a campaign statement explained.³
Law enforcement can use drones for legitimate purposes like finding missing people, but flying Big Brother over your backyard to catch speeding? That's where Donalds draws the line.
Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco, who endorsed Donalds back in September, backed his position immediately.
"While there are many benefits from the use of drones for law enforcement, such as finding missing people and security around critical incidents, these drones should not be used for traffic enforcement," Nocco said.⁴
Floridians already rejected this red-light camera nonsense, the Sheriff explained, and they're not interested in the same surveillance state moving into the sky.
Police drone empire expanding at breakneck speed
The Wall Street Journal investigation that triggered Donalds' response revealed a surveillance explosion happening right under Americans' noses.
Police departments across the country are deploying drones at record speed — and many already use them for traffic enforcement despite the privacy concerns.
According to the FAA, the number of drones used by public safety agencies will exceed 30,000 by 2025, representing a 300% jump from the 10,000 in use just five years earlier.⁵
Since the FAA streamlined the drone approval process in May 2025, federal authorities have granted more than 410 "Drone as First Responder" waivers — already accounting for almost a third of all such waivers granted since these programs began in 2018.⁶
Cities like Sunny Isles Beach in Florida already patrol beaches with drones hovering over Collins Avenue.
California's Elk Grove Police Department got FAA approval in early 2025 to operate drones beyond the visual line of sight at altitudes up to 400 feet — covering the city's entire 42-square-mile jurisdiction.⁷
San Francisco credited its drone program with contributing to a 35% reduction in property crime and 13% drop in violent crime in 2024, though critics question whether drones or other factors drove those numbers.⁸
New York City launched its "Drone as First Responder" program, deploying flying cameras to 911 calls before patrol units arrive.
Even more disturbing, some police departments now equip drones with automated license plate readers that track your movements from the sky.
"The Flock Safety drone, specifically, are flying LPR cameras," Rahul Sidhu, Vice President of Aviation at Flock Safety, told potential law enforcement customers.⁹
That means police drones aren't just watching traffic — they're building databases of where you drive, when you drive, and who you meet.
The ACLU agrees with Donalds that this has gone too far.
"There needs to be limits, lest drone surveillance becomes pervasive and changes what it's like to be out in public in America," warned Jay Stanley, senior policy analyst with the ACLU.¹⁰
Florida already allows police surveillance despite penalties for civilians
Governor Ron DeSantis signed legislation in 2025 that imposed criminal penalties on individuals using drones to spy on people.
But that same law carved out a giant exemption for the government.
The legislation "specifically exempts any state agency or law enforcement entity using a drone in the 'course and scope' of employment."¹¹
Translation: It's illegal for you to fly a drone over your neighbor's property, but cops can hover one over your backyard anytime they want.
DeSantis also signed a bill requiring transparency for red-light camera programs after years of cities raking in millions from automated tickets.
That 2024 law forces cities to produce annual reports about camera programs and approve contracts in public meetings.
But it didn't ban the cameras — just made local governments slightly more honest about the cash they're collecting.
The Florida Supreme Court ruled in 2018 that red-light cameras don't violate the Florida Constitution, settling that legal debate.
Yet even with these "reforms," Florida still has thousands of red-light cameras across the state generating revenue.
When Donalds initially claimed he "protected Florida from red light cameras," GOP primary opponent James Fishback called him out immediately.
"Are you smoking crack?" Fishback posted. "There are literally thousands of them across the state."¹²
https://twitter.com/FishbackRapid/status/2006014386947641404?s=20
That exchange showed the problem — even Republicans who talk tough on surveillance often cave to law enforcement lobbying and municipal revenue addiction.
DeSantis' drone law allows police to use the technology for "crowd monitoring and safety purposes" while supposedly prohibiting "unauthorized surveillance of private property."
But who decides what's "authorized"? The same police departments buying the drones.
Donalds recognized this double standard and pledged to go further than DeSantis.
No traffic enforcement drones. No Big Brother surveillance of law-abiding Floridians going about their daily lives.
The technology exists for legitimate law enforcement purposes, Donalds acknowledged, but should be limited to emergencies like finding missing children or responding to active threats.
Not flying over neighborhoods recording everyone's movements and mailing tickets based on algorithms.
Donalds is leading polls for Florida governor heading into 2026, with Trump's endorsement and backing from 17 of Florida's 20 members of Congress.
His America First campaign positions him as continuing DeSantis' conservative policies while charting his own course on civil liberties.
If he wins, Florida could become the first state to actually restrict police drone surveillance instead of just regulating it.
That would send a message to law enforcement agencies nationwide that Americans won't tolerate flying Big Brother watching their every move.
The surveillance state has been expanding for decades with barely any pushback from Republicans.
Donalds just showed conservatives what fighting back looks like.
¹ Michelle Vecerina, "Gubernatorial candidate Byron Donalds vows to ground police drones: 'Not in my Florida,'" FL Voice News, December 30, 2025.
² Ibid.
³ Jacob Ogles, "Byron Donalds calls for restrictions on police use of drones," Florida Politics, December 30, 2025.
⁴ Ibid.
⁵ "Police Drones: An In-Depth Guide," UAV Coach, October 14, 2025.
⁶ Dave Maass and Rindala Alajaji, "That Drone in the Sky Could Be Tracking Your Car," Electronic Frontier Foundation, September 22, 2025.
⁷ "Drones For Traffic Control, And 11 Police Departments Already Ahead," DSLRPros, March 11, 2025.
⁸ Ibid.
⁹ Dave Maass and Rindala Alajaji, "That Drone in the Sky Could Be Tracking Your Car," Electronic Frontier Foundation, September 22, 2025.
¹⁰ Jacob Ogles, "Byron Donalds calls for restrictions on police use of drones," Florida Politics, December 30, 2025.
¹¹ Ibid.
¹² Ibid.
