The “Advancing Security with Remote Pilots & Autonomous Response and Patrol” session at this year’s NestGen event offered participants a wealth of insight into the use of autonomous systems to perform security functions.

Featured speaker Ryan Smith, founder of Titan Protection, focused on the integration of drone technology into security protocols. To highlight the benefits of UAVs in enhancing response times, accessibility, and cost efficiency, he described the aspects of Titan's “blended” approach to security, one that involves human security personnel, drones, and, where applicable, autonomous systems.  The Kansas City-based company’s blended approach, he asserted, has reduced security incidents by 30-40% and helped clients realize a 60% cost savings compared to traditional security guards.

Drones, he said, are ideal for patrolling and responding to triggered events. They enable increased response time, accessibility to difficult areas, and cost savings compared to traditional security methods. Moreover, Smith said that the versatility of drones makes them ideal for security work in various settings, including property management, transportation, and outdoor assets.

“Anything outdoors—construction sites, critical infrastructure—these are areas that that lend themselves favorably to a drone application,” Smith explained.

Despite the advantages of using uncrewed systems, Smith cautioned that many important issues must be considered while creating a security program with drones. He discussed regulatory issues, fleet management, challenges of flying in difficult weather conditions, privacy concerns, adding payloads like spotlights and speakers, insurance considerations, backup power capabilities, and much more.

Still, he emphasized the cost savings and enhanced effectiveness that can be realized by blending drones into operations, and he encouraged security professionals to add uncrewed technology to their operations. “Deterrence is the ultimate goal,” Smith said. “Response times are a key indicator, and one that we’re seeing a lot of success with. The big one is the cost savings over traditional security, and beyond cost is the effectiveness of how we’re patrolling and responding to incidents on a property.”

In the days to come, check out Commercial UAV News for more recaps from NestGen 2025.