Cape, the leading cloud platform for drone telepresence and data management, and the Mexico City Police Department (SSP CDMX) today announced the launch of its drone deployment program. As part of the program, drones equipped with the Cape Aerial Telepresence platform will be integrated into daily operations to improve aerial intelligence, including supporting security efforts at large public events like rallies, stadium productions, concerts, and other special events. Additionally, drones equipped with Cape Aerial Telepresence will provide emergency response support for local SSP CDMX SWAT operations. The year-long program will focus on increasing operational efficiency and the safety of both SSP CDMX officers and the greater community.

As the capital of Mexico and the most populated city in North America with more than 8.8 million residents, Mexico City is filled with ancient history and culture that attracts millions of tourists every year. With the priority of improving the safety of Mexico City residents and tourists, the program was designed to enable SSP CDMX officers to launch drones throughout the city and teleoperate each drone directly from the command center to the location of emergency calls. With access to the drone’s live feed, responding officers will be able to get a live view of the scene before arrival to better determine needed resources and improve situational awareness.

“The safety of our residents, visitors, and first responders is always our top priority,” said Edgar Isaac Martinez, director of cyber security and intelligence, department of intelligence and information, Mexico City Police Department. “With Cape technology, our team is able to gain a level of visibility that was never before possible, helping to not only drive operational efficiencies, but enabling us to better protect and serve our community. We are proud to be among the earliest adopters of drone telepresence in North America, and to be working in partnership with the most trusted drone software partner in the space.”

With the launch of the partnership, three DJI Matrice 200 drones with three Z30 and one XT thermal camera—all equipped with the Cape Aerial Telepresence platform—will be integrated into SSP CDMX daily operations. The program offers a comprehensive drone solution, giving officers access to not only advanced equipment, but training, technical support, and ongoing maintenance to improve agency operations and safety.

“Mexico has become a leader in drone innovation for public safety, setting a precedent for what drone telepresence can do for agencies around the world,” said Chris Rittler, CEO of Cape. “Today, drones provide a level of aerial visibility and intelligence that was previously inaccessible for many agencies, or came at a steep cost with limited impact. We are excited to work in partnership with the SSP CDMX to improve the safety of North America’s largest city, and know that Mexico City will undoubtedly serve as a model for other agencies across Mexico and around the globe.”

As part of the program, Cape and SSP CDMX have partnered with Grupo Leobe, a systems integrator and public safety solutions provider. Through the partnership, Grupo Leobe will provide access to extensive hardware and equipment to support the full integration of Cape-enabled drones and further maximize the impact of the SSP CDMX program.

"We are excited to work in partnership with Cape on this public safety project for SSP CDMX. Without a doubt, we will contribute to a large extent with our comprehensive solution, improving the security of the largest city in North America. We know that Mexico City will serve as a model for other agencies throughout Mexico and around the world,” said Leonel Aguirre, CEO of Grupo Leobe S.A de C.V.

Mexico City is the latest municipality to tap Cape technology for improving public safety and builds on other successful programs across Mexico, including Ensenada, where Cape-enabled drones were used to reduce the city crime rate by 10% and to improve emergency response times by 90%. As a leader in the commercial drone software space, Cape is one of the first and only companies in the U.S. to be awarded precedent-setting waivers under both Section 333 and Part 107 regulations, and has performed more than 100,000 flights in the U.S., Middle East, Mexico, and Australia.