The French Quarter Economic Development District (FQEDD) approved a $250,000 budget amendment for the New Orleans Police Department’s 8th District drone program during its meeting on April 16. The decision follows a presentation from police representatives outlining upgrades to the existing French Quarter drone initiative.
The move is intended to enhance public safety in the dense and high-traffic environment of the French Quarter by improving response times and providing real-time aerial visibility. According to officials, drones will be able to launch remotely from docking stations, reducing response times to under two minutes. Deployment of these upgraded drones is expected about six months after approval.
During the meeting, NOPD representatives emphasized that this upgrade builds upon a drone initiative first approved in 2022 rather than introducing an entirely new program. They also addressed concerns raised at previous meetings, stating that drones will only be used for specific public safety missions, will not use facial recognition technology, require command-level approval before deployment, and are subject to both public records laws and flight logging requirements.
Financially, this amendment increases the FQEDD’s total 2026 operating budget from approximately $4.19 million to about $4.44 million. The vote on Motion M-2026-01 was not unanimous but ultimately passed following prior approval by both an existing Cooperative Endeavor Agreement among city agencies and a vote by the French Quarter Management District Board of Commissioners.
Michelle Courseault, Executive Director of FQMD, provided updates on quarterly financial reports during the session. She said that as of now about $1.18 million has been collected in remittances—roughly 28% of the annual budget—with expenditures totaling nearly $205,000 or around 5%. Courseault described stable finances and highlighted ongoing efforts related to police presence and outreach within the district.
Officials say these enhancements aim to further strengthen safety measures while maintaining transparency with residents regarding technology use.
