The Public Safety and Defense Primer.

A fragmented field

About 17,500 police agencies and 29,500 fire departments buy separately.

Volunteers carry fire service

62% of about 1.02M U.S. firefighters are volunteers.

Drones went mainstream

1,000+ agencies are cleared for drone-first-responder flights.

Defense money is large

$839.2B was enacted for FY2026 defense.

Grants steer local buying

About $1.06B in FY2026 homeland security grants.

Drone rules changed

New foreign-made drones are barred from FCC authorization.

Cyber rules reach suppliers

CMMC phase 2 began 10 Nov 2026.

Trust decides adoption

50+ communities canceled police camera contracts in 2026.

Small-business funding reopened

SBIR and STTR were reauthorized in April 2026.

People stay in charge

Humans in the lead, physical AI in the loop.

01

Who this primer serves.

9

04

Where machines are proven today.

12

02

Public safety in numbers.

10

03

Defense in numbers.

11

Police

Municipal, county and state agencies: patrol, investigations, traffic and scene work. Machines add eyes, reach and safer entry.

Fire and rescue

Career, combination and volunteer departments: fire, rescue, hazmat and wildfire. Machines add eyes in smoke, heat and height.

EMS and emergency ops

Ambulance services, 911 centers and emergency operations. Machines add situational awareness and supply delivery.

Security operators

Corporate, campus, venue and critical-infrastructure security. Machines add patrol hours and perimeter coverage.

Corrections

Jails, prisons and detention centers. Machines add rounds, inspection and routine logistics.

Border and customs

Ports of entry, border corridors and customs sites. Machines add wide-area observation and inspection support.

Military sites and primes

Bases, depots, arsenals, shipyards and the firms that serve them. Machines add maintenance, logistics and inspection capacity.

~17,500

state and local law enforcement agencies, 2018

1.2M

full-time sworn and civilian law enforcement staff

~29,500

fire departments in the U.S., 2020

62%

of about 1.02M firefighters are volunteers, 2026

• About 17,500 state and local agencies employ 1.2 million full-time sworn and civilian staff.
• Half of local police officers work in jurisdictions of 100,000 residents or more. The rest serve smaller places.
• 82% of fire departments are all or mostly volunteer.
• Recruiting and retention are the shared pressure. Machines extend what each person can cover.

$839.2B

FY2026 defense appropriations enacted

3 Feb 2026

Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026 signed

1.30M

active-duty end strength funded

764,900

selected reserve end strength funded

• Congress appropriates by account: personnel, operations and maintenance, procurement, research and military construction.
• Operations and maintenance funds installations, depots and sustainment.
• Procurement and research funds buy new systems and prototypes.
• The department is also styled the Department of War (Executive Order 14347, Sep 2025).

01

Four funding streams.

14

04

State and local purchasing.

17

02

Grants to know.

15

05

Certifications and their requirements.

18

03

Federal contract vehicles.

16

06

SBIR and STTR in 2026.

19

Local and state budgets

• Annual operating and capital budgets
• Approved by council, board or legislature
• Pilots often fit under purchase limits
• Fastest to move, smallest per agency

Federal and state grants

• Homeland Security Grants: about $1.06B in FY2026
• FEMA fire grants (AFG, SAFER)
• DOJ grants such as Byrne JAG and COPS
• Fenced by purpose and deadline

Federal appropriations

• Defense: $839.2B enacted for FY2026
• Homeland security and justice accounts
• Spent through contracts, orders and agreements
• Cycles follow the 1 October fiscal year

Innovation funds

• SBIR and STTR research awards
• Other transaction agreements for prototypes
• Challenges and accelerator programs
• SBIR and STTR reauthorized April 2026

1 Need

A chief or commander names a problem such as slow response or staffing gaps.

2 Funding

A budget line, grant or donation. Pilots often sit under local purchase limits.

3 Buying route

Cooperative contract (Sourcewell, NASPO ValuePoint, OMNIA Partners), competitive bid, or justified sole source.

4 Approval

Council or board vote. In 26+ cities a surveillance-technology review comes first.

5 Pilot to scale

A time-boxed pilot, a public report, then an expansion vote.

Operations

Chief, deputy chief, fire chief, commander, dispatch supervisor.

Money and rules

Finance director, procurement officer, city attorney, grants manager.

The public

Council members, oversight board, community groups, local press.

No new solicitations or awards for six months.

Signed as P.L. 119-83 after the longest lapse in program history.

Unspent FY2026 SBIR and STTR funds can be used in FY2027.

Five-year authority through 2031.

What changed

• New Strategic Breakthrough awards of up to $30M after Phase II
• Stronger screening for foreign influence
• Per-firm proposal caps begin in FY2027

What it means for pilots

• Small makers and integrators can fund development again
• Phase II winners can move to follow-on production contracts
• Agencies restart solicitations one by one

03

Drone supply-chain rules.

23

Airspace | FAA

Where, how and who may fly. Part 107, public safety waivers and Part 108 (final rule pending).

Drone supply chain | FCC, Congress

Foreign-made drones and key parts cannot get new FCC authorization. FY2025 NDAA section 1709.

Cyber | Department of Defense

CMMC levels for suppliers that handle federal contract or controlled information.

Export control | State, Commerce

ITAR for defense articles, EAR for dual-use items. Affects data, parts and foreign staff.

Cloud services | GSA

FedRAMP authorization for cloud services used by federal agencies.

People and sites | DCSA

Personnel and facility clearances for classified work.

Part 107: small drones in sight

Remote pilot certificate. The drone stays within visual line of sight. The baseline for most work.

Public safety waivers: BVLOS

A streamlined Part 91 waiver since April 2025. 1,000+ agencies cleared by Feb 2026, against 976 in 2018 to Apr 2025.

Part 108: routine BVLOS

Proposed Aug 2025. The final rule has been at White House review since 10 Jul 2026 and is not yet in force.

What to plan for

• Waivers are per agency and expire. Track renewal dates.
• Part 108 would replace case-by-case waivers with permits and certificates, and add safety-management and training duties.
• Remote ID is required for most registered drones.
• Temporary flight restrictions apply over wildfires and major events.

An executive-branch review finds foreign-made drones pose national security risks.

All foreign-produced drones and key parts added, plus DJI and Autel equipment under NDAA section 1709.

No new FCC equipment authorizations. Drones already in use can keep flying.

What it means for your fleet

• Existing drones keep operating; replacement cycles need a plan
• Industry estimates put DJI above 80% of public safety fleets
• Some states, such as Ohio, fund only NDAA-compliant drones

What Atomgigs does

• Specifies compliant U.S.-made and allied platforms by default
• Plans fleet transitions around your replacement cycle
• Stays robot-agnostic so you keep a choice of makers

Level 1 and Level 2 self-assessments appear in selected contracts.

Level 2 third-party certification (C3PAO) appears in selected contracts.

Level 2 certification expands. Level 3 government assessment may appear.

Full implementation in all applicable contracts.

Level 1

Protects federal contract information. 15 basic practices, annual self-assessment.

Level 2

Protects controlled unclassified information (CUI). 110 requirements from NIST SP 800-171.

Level 3

Adds a subset of NIST SP 800-172 requirements. Government-led assessment.

ITAR

State Department (DDTC). Controls defense articles and technical data on the U.S. Munitions List. Needs registration and limits foreign-person access. Non-weapon work here is mostly outside it, but defense data may not be.

EAR

Commerce Department (BIS). Controls dual-use items on the Commerce Control List, such as some thermal imagers and navigation parts. Classify before export or foreign-person access.

FedRAMP

GSA program. Security authorization for cloud services that federal agencies use, at Low, Moderate and High impact levels. Software used in federal pilots must carry it.

Clearances

DCSA. A facility clearance lets a firm do classified work. Personnel clearances apply to individuals. Needed only for classified work; most pilots do not need one.

01

Why trust decides adoption.

27

04

The data lifecycle.

30

50+

U.S. communities that canceled or switched off police camera contracts in 2026

26+

U.S. cities with community-control laws over police surveillance

1,000+

agencies cleared for drone-first-responder flights

Council votes

now precede surveillance purchases in many cities

Written purpose

Say what the machine is for and what it is never used for.

Minimum data

Collect only what the mission needs. Exclude or blur unrelated areas.

Short, fixed retention

Delete by default. Hold footage longer only with a case number.

No face recognition by default

Biometric matching stays off unless law, policy and the community allow it.

Human review

A trained person reviews every output that could affect someone's rights.

Open audit trail

Every flight, search and export is logged and open to oversight.

Public reporting

Publish flights, uses and outcomes on a set schedule.

Community input

Hold hearings before launch and a review after 90 days.

Purpose

Why does the program exist, and what is it not for?

Allowed uses

Which calls and tasks may use a machine?

Authorization

Who approves each deployment, and who can stop it?

Data collected

What is captured, and what is excluded?

Retention

How long is data kept, and who can extend it?

Access and sharing

Who may view, search, export or receive data?

Audit

How is use logged and reviewed, and by whom?

Public notice

How does the public learn what is deployed and where?

Complaints

How can a resident ask a question or challenge a use?

Review date

When does the policy sunset or come up for renewal?

1 Capture

Sensors record only inside the mission area.

2 Minimize

Blur, crop or discard unrelated data at the edge.

3 Store and protect

Encrypt in transit and at rest. Keep data in the agency's own cloud tenant.

4 Access and audit

Role-based access. Every view is logged and sampled for audit.

5 Delete and report

Auto-delete on schedule. Publish counts in an annual report.

03

Who is accountable.

34

Level

What the machine does

What the person does

Example

L1

Remote operated

Moves only as commanded

Controls every movement

Hazardous-entry robot opening a door

Agency sponsor (you)

Owns the mission, the policy and the final say.

Rules we apply

• Every machine has a designated human manager
• A manager oversees only as many machines as can be watched safely
• Any person on site can stop any machine
• Remote pilots hold the required FAA certificate and local credentials
• Every incident is logged and reviewed in a debrief
• Changes to tasks or areas need sponsor approval

Atomgigs site pod lead

Runs the site, the safety case and the crew.

Machine managers

Each machine has a named human manager. One person may oversee several machines.

Machines

Operate inside the approved area, task and autonomy level.

01

Operations terms in plain words.

36

02

Buying terms in plain words.

37

03

Compliance terms in plain words.

38

What Atomgigs does

• Advises agencies and defense sites on where machines help
• Runs pilots for logistics, inspection, observation and recovery work
• Staffs and trains site pods of managers, pilots and technicians
• Brings robots and software from many makers, with no capital outlay for you
• Documents safety, privacy and compliance for each deployment

What Atomgigs does not do

• Build, sell or integrate weapons or weapon systems
• Provide lethal autonomy or counter-weapon systems
• Replace human decisions on force, arrest or detention
• Use face recognition by default
• Build machines or ask clients to buy them

A note on vendors

Vendors named in this primer may also make weapons-related products. Those are not listed here.

1 Consulting engagement

Map your operation, rank use cases, and write the safety and privacy case.

2 Pilot

A time-boxed field test with an Atomgigs site pod and public reporting: usually 4 to 8 weeks, 60 to 90 days in public safety.

3 Production

Scale to more sites with managed capacity and no machine capital outlay.

Directly with your agency

Pay for capacity and outcomes. No capital outlay for machines. No long-term headcount.

Through a prime or channel partner

Atomgigs joins a prime, integrator or OEM team as a delivery partner on a contract.

Through a grant-funded purchase

Atomgigs helps align a project to a grant program, then delivers the funded scope.

01

Police use cases.

44

04

Ground robots for police.

47

02

Drone as first responder (DFR).

45

05

What happened in 2026.

49

03

DFR vendors and proof level.

46

06

Cost signals for police programs.

50

Drone as first responder

A drone launched from a rooftop dock to a 911 call. Eyes on scene before officers arrive.

Hazardous entry

Robots enter rooms, vehicles and buildings first, so officers do not have to.

Explosive ordnance disposal support

Remote robots inspect suspicious items. People keep control of every decision.

Scene mapping

Drones and scanners capture crash and crime scenes in minutes for later reconstruction.

Traffic and crash response

Aerial views clear roads faster and cut time officers stand in live lanes.

Search for missing people

Thermal cameras scan wide areas at night and in rough terrain.

Event and perimeter overwatch

Aerial and ground cameras add coverage at large events and fixed sites.

Welfare checks and negotiation

A robot carries a phone or camera into a standoff to keep people at a distance.

So what. Each use starts with a written purpose, a defined area and human review.

2018

25,000+

1,000+

10M+

• A dispatcher takes the 911 call and launches the nearest docked drone
• The drone flies to the address and streams live video to dispatch and officers
• Officers arrive briefed, or the call is cleared without a response
• The drone returns to its dock, swaps batteries and is ready again
• Every flight is logged for audit and public reporting

• Time to scene falls from minutes to seconds
• Fewer unneeded responses and fewer risky approaches
• Officers spend time where people are needed
• Programs need pilots or remote supervisors, docks and cloud video

So what. Speed is the benefit. Clear rules on use and data are the condition.

Maker

Non-weapon offering

Proof

Public evidence

Skydio

X10 aircraft, Dock, DFR Command software. Sold with Axon.

Commercial

Integrates into CentralSquare dispatch software (Aug 2026). FAA approval for one pilot to fly four drones; 12 departments reported in.

Responder and Guardian aircraft, stations, LiveOps software. Sold with Motorola Solutions.

Commercial

Motorola led a reported $125M round (Jul 2026). Boston Police pilot announced 28 Aug 2026.

Flock Safety

Alpha drone and Aerodome software, linked to its camera network.

Commercial

Says it has 200+ DFR customers. First NDAA-compliant U.S.-assembled Flock drone shown Oct 2025.

Paladin

Drone hardware and software for DFR programs.

Commercial

Named with Skydio, BRINC and Flock as one of four main DFR suppliers in 2026 market reviews.

Axon

Axon Air programs with Skydio. Body cameras and evidence software.

Commercial

Axon and Skydio announced a joint public safety drone offering.

So what. Pilots are often free or low cost in year one. Compare vendors on your own call load.

Maker

Non-weapon offering

Proof

Public evidence

Boston Dynamics

Spot legged robot for hazardous entry, with arm and sensor payloads.

Commercial

60+ bomb squads and SWAT teams in the U.S. and Canada; about 2,000 Spot units worldwide (Bloomberg, Nov 2025). Requires a stated use plan before shipping.

Teledyne FLIR

Tracked response robots such as PackBot (from iRobot Defense) and thermal cameras.

Commercial

Tracked robots have served bomb squads since the 1980s; PackBot is used by larger police forces.

Remotec

Andros F6A tracked robot.

Commercial

In use at county bomb squads such as Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, alongside Spot.

Knightscope

K5 autonomous security robot for campuses, lots and facilities.

Early commercial

AFWERX Phase I SBIR (Jan 2025) to assess Air Force installation security.

So what. Agencies add robots one mission at a time, starting with bomb squads and tactical teams.

• A tracked bomb-squad robot in front of a Los Angeles Police Department bomb squad truck
• Its arm, gripper and cameras let technicians inspect a suspicious item from a safe distance
• Robots like this have served U.S. bomb squads since the 1980s
• A technician controls every move; the robot makes no decisions

What 2026 programs cost

• Skydio X10 DFR in Conroe, Texas: bought with asset-forfeiture funds
• Spot-class robot: about $325,000 per unit with arm and sensors, as priced in the Wichita request
• Typical bomb-squad-ready robot dog: $150,000 to $400,000 per unit, one review estimates
• Some vendors offer no-cost first-year DFR pilots, such as South Bend with Flock

What drives total cost

• Aircraft and docks, per site
• Software, video storage and dispatch integration
• Remote pilots or supervisors
• Training, insurance and FAA paperwork
• Public reporting and audit time

How Atomgigs helps

• Compares makers on your call load and your rules
• Sizes the program to your budget lines and grants
• Staffs pilots and supervisors by contract
• Runs the pilot and the public report

01

Fire and rescue use cases.

52

04

How a department starts.

56

02

Fire and rescue vendors.

53

03

NFPA 2400 and test methods.

55

Fireground size-up

Thermal drones show fire spread, roof conditions and hot spots from above in minutes.

Hazardous materials

Robots and drones sample and observe a release without sending people into the zone.

Structural collapse and rescue

Ground robots and small drones search voids and rubble for survivors.

High-rise and tall structures

Drones inspect facades and rooftops that crews cannot see from the street.

Water and swift-water rescue

Drones locate people and drop flotation. Crews stay on shore.

Firefighting robots

Remote tracked machines move hose and water into heat that crews cannot enter.

Fire investigation

Aerial mapping records the scene before it changes.

Pre-incident planning

Digital twins of large buildings help crews plan before a call.

Maker

Non-weapon offering

Proof

Public evidence

Skydio

X10 drones with thermal cameras and docks for fireground and DFR use.

Commercial

Used by public safety agencies for aerial response.

• A remote-controlled tracked firefighting robot made by Shark Robotics of France
• The red water monitor on top sprays water or foam; cameras and lights show the operator the scene
• The front arm moves debris and obstacles
• Crews drive it from a safe distance. Howe & Howe's Thermite does the same job in U.S. departments such as the LAFD

2019

2024

Free

• Organization and program criteria
• Professional qualifications for safety personnel
• Maintenance of aircraft and equipment
• Use cases, incident command and risk review

• NIST developed standard test methods for response robots
• NFPA 2400 refers to them to measure remote pilot skill
• ASTM committee E54.09 is standardizing more than 20 aerial tests

So what. Voluntary standards give departments a shared bar for training and safety.

1 Name a coordinator

Appoint a drone program coordinator, as NFPA 2400 advises.

2 Write the policy

Purpose, allowed uses, data rules and public notice.

3 Train and certify

Remote pilot certificates and local flight drills.

4 Get airspace cover

Part 107 or a public aircraft declaration; waivers for BVLOS.

5 Run a pilot

A few months, a few call types, and a report to the chief and council.

01

EMS and AED delivery.

58

04

EMS and disaster vendors.

61

2 to 3 min

window to apply an AED for survival near 70%

8 to 10 min

typical EMS arrival time

about 4 min

estimated median drone AED delivery in the Duke study

study sites: Clemmons, NC and James City County, VA

1 Dispatcher

Takes the cardiac arrest call and starts the drone.

2 Drone launch

An AED drone flies to the address while EMS responds as usual.

3 Bystander

Opens the AED. The dispatcher talks them through it.

4 EMS arrives

Crews take over care. The drone returns to base.

So what. Drones add a layer. They do not replace EMS.

Prehospital whole blood

Tampa General Hospital is preparing the first EMS-driven drone program for prehospital whole blood (Aug 2026).

Healthcare logistics network

CVS Health described CVS Air Response with SkyfireAI and Thales at XPONENTIAL 2026 (May 2026): medical supply links, disaster response and AED delivery.

Layered state systems

A May 2026 SAE paper modeled a statewide layered medical drone network in Florida for blood, AEDs and critical devices.

Drone-based EMS abroad

Everdrone raised SEK 36 million in Mar 2026 and launched a drone-based emergency medical service in France in Dec 2025.

Damage assessment

Drones map roads, bridges and buildings after storms and quakes within hours.

Search and rescue

Thermal drones and ground robots search flooded and collapsed areas.

Flood and levee watch

Drones and cameras watch rising water without sending crews to risky banks.

Communications relay

Drones carry radios or cellular relays when towers fail.

Supply delivery

Small cargo drones move medicine and water to cut-off areas.

Emergency operations center views

A shared map joins drone video, cameras and sensors for decision-makers.

Maker

Non-weapon offering

Proof

Public evidence

Skydio

Drones and docks for response, mapping and DFR.

Commercial

Used in public safety DFR programs.

01

Security use cases.

63

Campus and parking patrol

Wheeled robots patrol lots and structures with cameras and a speaker.

Perimeter patrol

Drones on docks fly set routes around fences, yards and fuel sites.

Remote guarding

Guards watch many sites from one control center and dispatch when needed.

Venue and event overwatch

Aerial and ground cameras add coverage and crowd flow data.

Critical infrastructure

Substations, ports, rail yards and data centers add layered patrol.

Access and gate support

Cameras read badges and plates and call a guard for exceptions.

Maker

Non-weapon offering

Proof

Public evidence

Knightscope

K5 autonomous security robot and related software.

Early commercial

AFWERX Phase I SBIR (Jan 2025). Patrols campuses, lots and logistics hubs.

Asylon

Drone-in-a-box and ground robots with a 24/7 remote operations center.

Early commercial

Reports 350,000+ autonomous missions. Nine AFWERX awards.

Cobalt Robotics

Indoor security robots for offices and warehouses.

Early commercial

Used in corporate buildings.

Boston Dynamics

Spot for site inspection and patrol rounds.

Commercial

Used for industrial inspection and public safety.

Skydio

Dock and X10 for fixed-site patrol.

Commercial

USAFCENT order above $9M for air base security (Apr 2026).

So what. Public detail is thin. Many security deployments run under NDA.

• A Knightscope K5 security robot patrolling a gas station forecourt in San Francisco
• Cameras, lights and sensors record the site and flag events to a remote operator
• The robot observes and reports. Guards and police decide and respond

What robots do well

• Cover long routes the same way every time
• Never tire on night shifts
• Record video and sensor readings
• Flag anomalies for a person to check

What stays with people

• Judging a threat
• Speaking with the public
• Entering a scene and making a stop
• Deciding to call police

How the guard job changes

• From walking routes to watching robot feeds
• From logging to responding to flagged events
• New skills: remote operations, data and fleet care

01

Corrections use cases.

68

02

Border and customs.

69

03

Scrutiny and safeguards.

70

Perimeter and yard watch

Drones and fixed cameras cover fences and yards around the clock.

Inspection rounds

Robots check doors, locks and utilities and log readings.

Facility logistics

Mobile robots move laundry, food and supplies inside secure zones.

Contraband interdiction at the perimeter

Aerial and thermal views spot packages dropped near fences.

Emergency response support

Robots carry cameras into incidents so staff stay at a safe distance.

Training and digital twins

A model of the facility helps plan staffing and drills.

$46.5B

OBBBA (One Big Beautiful Bill Act) funds for border wall system and technology

$6.2B

border security technology and screening

890

autonomous towers planned in the FY2027 request

$71M

GDIT task order for autonomous towers

Item

What it is

Pace

Autonomous surveillance towers

Fixed and mobile towers with cameras, radar and AI that alert agents.

CBP is buying autonomous towers only, per the law

What critics raise

• Wide surveillance reaches border residents
• Sensors on private land without notice
• AI decisions that may carry bias
• Cost and delays on past programs

What agencies commit to

• Alerts to a person, who makes the decision
• Written limits on data use
• Oversight and audits

Where Atomgigs stays

• Observation, inspection and logistics only
• No weapons and no lethal systems
• Public reporting on every pilot

01

Why early detection matters.

73

02

How detection works.

74

03

Detection programs.

75

1,200+

AI-enabled ALERTCalifornia cameras

38%

of California fires seen by camera before any 911 call, one analysis says

725

fires detected in the U.S. by Pano AI in the 2025 season

10 acres

Cal Fire goal: hold 95% of fires at or below this size

Why early detection matters

• A fire can double in size every 10 to 15 minutes in moderate conditions
• Only one in 20 wildfire-area 911 calls is a real wildfire, Pano AI says
• Cameras scan 360 degrees about every two minutes
• Detection helps most in remote areas with few witnesses

What limits it

• Cameras cover only where they are installed
• Fog, dust and clouds can look like smoke
• Valleys and canyons have gaps
• Every alert still needs human verification

1 Scan

Tower cameras and sensors scan terrain around the clock.

2 Flag

AI marks possible smoke and scores the likelihood.

3 Verify

A trained person reviews the time-lapse and confirms.

4 Alert

Dispatch, fire agencies and utilities get a location and view.

5 Confirm

A drone or ground unit checks the site and feeds the incident plan.

So what. The human check keeps false alarms from overloading dispatch.

Program or maker

What it offers

Proof

Public evidence

ALERTCalifornia

AI camera network run by UC San Diego with Cal Fire.

Commercial

1,200+ cameras; Cal Fire uses AI to flag smoke across the state.

01

Wildfire response use cases.

77

02

Airspace and standards.

78

So what. Start with mapping and awareness. They are proven and low risk.

Airspace and safety

• Fires create temporary flight restrictions
• Uncoordinated drones can ground firefighting aircraft
• Flights run only under incident command approval
• Remote ID and logs show who flew where

Standards and guides

• NFPA 2400 for public safety drone programs
• NWCG guidance for wildland drone use
• FAA Part 107, waivers and Part 108 once final

How Atomgigs helps

• Trained pilots on contract for fire seasons
• Pre-approved flight plans with local units
• Mapping products delivered to the incident team

01

Evacuation and recovery.

80

02

Who pays.

81

Evacuation routes

Cameras and drones show traffic, blocked roads and fire advance for planners.

Alerts and warnings

Detection data feeds public alert systems quickly.

Shelters and supply

Mapped needs and supply routes keep shelters stocked.

Damage assessment

Drones count and grade damaged buildings within days.

Debris and slope hazards

Aerial mapping guides debris removal and flood-risk work.

Rebuild and reforestation

Surveys and digital twins guide permits and planting.

Funder

What it pays for

Notes

Utilities

Detection cameras, vegetation checks and line inspection

Driven by wildfire liability; file state mitigation plans

01

Installation use cases.

84

02

Installation security vendors.

85

03

Logistics and sustainment.

86

Perimeter and gate security

Drone docks, patrol robots and cameras extend security forces.

Facility operations

Inspection robots check roofs, utilities, tanks and energy plants.

Installation logistics

Autonomous vehicles and tugs move cargo and supplies on the base.

Fleet and vehicle care

Predictive maintenance for the non-tactical vehicle fleet.

Emergency response

Fire, rescue and hazmat teams use the same tools as civilian agencies.

Energy and resilience

Digital twins plan microgrids and backup power.

Maker

Non-weapon offering

Proof

Public evidence

Skydio

Dock and X10 drones for base perimeter patrol.

Commercial

USAFCENT order above $9M for Middle East air bases (8 Apr 2026). Docks launch in under 20 seconds.

150,000+

non-tactical vehicles in the department fleet

Jun 2026

DIU ROADS challenge responses closed

Phase 3

initial on-installation pilot, multiple vendors

Flagship

Army logistics modernization with FedEx Dataworks

ROADS challenge

• DIU seeks autonomous vehicles for logistics on roads inside installations
• Road-capable on paved and well-kept unpaved roads, no off-road needed yet
• Winners move to a pilot on an installation

Strategic Capital Initiative

• The Army will use private capital to modernize logistics and industrial sites
• First flagship deal covers domestic non-tactical logistics networks
• Automation and data are the core of the plan

01

Army organic industrial base.

88

04

Cross-references.

92

02

Other depots and suppliers.

89

03

MRO automation.

91

Army industrial base sites: depots, arsenals and plants

$1B+

OIB investments in fiscal 2025

Apr 2026

Army signed the OIB Transformation Strategy

Mar 2026

automation contract awarded at Red River

Air Force air logistics complexes

Ogden, Oklahoma City and Warner Robins maintain aircraft and engines. Asylon won a Phase III SBIR contract (Jul 2026) to inspect C-5 and C-130 cargo aircraft with a drone and a ground robot.

Defense Logistics Agency

DLA is moving to a digital backbone and supply chain modernization in FY2027 guidance.

Marine Corps and Navy depots

Marine Corps Logistics Bases and Fleet Readiness Centers do repair and overhaul.

Tier 2 and 3 suppliers

Hundreds of small machine shops feed the primes. Automation lowers their cost.

• A C-130 cargo aircraft, stripped to bare metal, moved between work stations during depot maintenance at Warner Robins, Georgia
• Each aircraft is taken apart, inspected, repaired and repainted on a fixed cycle
• Inspection, coating removal and painting are where robots and drones are being tested
• A work lead stays in charge of every move

So what. Depot work needs process qualification. Plan it early.

Naval shipyards and ports

• Shipyards and ports are covered in Primer 09 (Construction and Infrastructure), Maritime and offshore chapter
• Hull inspection, welding and painting follow the same patterns as depots

Defense-site cleanup

• Remediation and decommissioning of defense sites sit in Primer 09 (Construction and Infrastructure)
• Environmental remediation chapter covers the tools and rules

01

Simulation and twins.

94

Training and simulation

Virtual ranges let crews and operators practice before field use.

Digital twins of sites

A model of a depot or base supports layout, flow and energy planning.

Scan and model

Drones and handheld scanners build models in days.

Safety case testing

Machines are tested in simulation before real runs.

Operator certification

Skills checks run in simulated scenes.

Observation and inspection systems only

Unmanned systems used for inspection and observation. Atomgigs does not work on weapons.

01

Ways in.

96

Former first responders

Police, fire and EMS veterans know the work and the radio language.

Veterans

Military operators and maintainers bring discipline and clearances.

Trades and technicians

Electricians, mechanics and field service staff keep machines working.

Drone and robotics specialists

Commercial pilots and engineers bring flight and autonomy skills.

Data and compliance staff

Records, privacy and audit skills support public trust.

Local hires

Programs hire locally where possible and train on the job.

1 Select

Screen for skill, record and fit.

2 Credential

Check certificates and clearances.

3 Train on the machine

Maker training plus site drills.

4 Fly or run under supervision

Shadow a lead before solo duty.

5 Review

Debriefs after incidents and regular skills tests.

01

Oversight and relations.

105

Human oversight

• Every machine has a named manager
• A manager supervises only as many machines as can be watched safely
• Anyone on site can stop a machine
• Consequential decisions stay with people

Shifts and handoffs

• 24/7 coverage needs shift leads and clean handoffs
• Logs record flights, alerts and incidents
• Maintenance windows are planned around shifts

Unions and community

• Talk to police, fire and corrections unions early
• Show how roles change and what stays the same
• Hold public meetings and publish reports

01

How the seven compare.

108

02

Where to reach each group.

109

01

Municipal and state police.

111

04

Security operators.

114

02

Fire and rescue.

112

05

Corrections and border.

115

03

EMS and emergency management.

113

01

Installations and depots.

117

02

Defense primes and integrators.

118

01

Where Atomgigs fits.

121

04

Pilot packages.

124

1 Robots and machines

Sourced from makers; Atomgigs is robot-agnostic.

2 Other machines

Drones, IoT, automation, digital twins.

3 People

Contractors as pilots, technicians, managers.

4 Atomgigs

Advises, integrates, deploys, scales and operates.

For public safety

Drone, robot and sensor programs with trust and audit built in.

For defense sites

Inspection, security, logistics and depot automation pilots.

For the community

Public reports and clear limits on every deployment.

Drone-first-response pilot

Dock, pilots and dispatch link for one district, with audit and public reports.

Facility perimeter pilot

Drone dock or patrol robot on a fenced site, with remote supervision.

Depot inspection pilot

Robot or drone inspection of one asset class, with process qualification.

Wildfire detection and mapping pilot

Cameras or drone mapping for one fire season.

Emergency mapping cell

On-call team for rapid damage assessment.

Installation logistics pilot

Autonomous tug or vehicle on one route.

01

How a pilot runs.

126

04

How we measure results.

129

1 Consult

Map needs, rules and funding.

2 Design

Choose machines, set goals and safety case.

3 Approve

Policy, public notice and airspace cover.

4 Run

Operate with the site pod; log everything.

5 Report

Share results; decide to scale.

Site pod

• Pod lead
• Machine managers
• Remote pilots
• Technicians
• Safety and data lead

Your side

• Executive sponsor
• Operations lead
• Records and privacy officer
• Union and community liaison

Rules

• One named human per machine
• Anyone can stop a machine
• Incidents reviewed within days

Hazard review

Identify what can go wrong and how each risk is handled.

Airspace and rules

Part 107, waivers and local rules checked before launch.

Privacy and data plan

Purpose, retention, access and audit recorded.

Training and drills

Crews rehearse routine and emergency actions.

Public notice

Hearings or notices where law or policy asks.

Review and stop rules

Clear triggers for pause or shutdown.

03

Engagement path.

133

Pay for capacity and outcomes

You buy flights, patrols or inspections delivered, not machines.

No capital outlay

Atomgigs brings the machines from makers. You pay for capacity, not for buying them.

No long-term headcount

People are contractors who scale with demand.

Pilot first

Prove the value before you commit.

Grant-aligned

Projects can be shaped to match grant programs and deadlines.

Clear exit

You can stop, extend or convert to your own ownership.

1 Consulting engagement

Roadmap, vendor and funding plan.

2 Pilot

Time-boxed, with public report. Public safety pilots: 60 to 90 days.

3 Production

Managed capacity at scale.

How to start

• Tell us the problem: response time, staffing gap, depot throughput or site security
• We scope a consulting engagement and a first pilot
• We name the pod, machines and funding route
• You decide at each gate

03

Go deeper.

137

Routine beyond-line-of-sight flight

Part 108 would make wide-area drone programs easier.

U.S.-made and compliant fleets

FCC and NDAA rules push agencies to replace foreign-made drones.

Dispatch-integrated drones

Skydio and CentralSquare show drones launched from the dispatch screen.

Community control

More cities require approval and audits of surveillance technology.

Depot automation

The Army is opening depots to commercial automation.

Cyber rules for suppliers

CMMC phases reach more subcontracts from Nov 2026.

Public safety first

Start where speed and safety gains are clear.

Humans in the lead

People decide. Machines extend reach.

Trust is a condition

Rules, audits and public reports come first.

Proof before scale

Pilot, measure, then expand.

Know the gates

Airspace, supply chain, cyber and export rules apply.

Funding is varied

Budgets, grants and contract vehicles all matter.

Drones lead, robots follow

Aerial programs are further along than ground robots.

Wildfire needs detection and mapping

Early finds save acres.

Depots are opening up

Commercial automation is moving in.

No weapons

Atomgigs works on non-weapon uses only.

01 Robotics

• atomgigs.com/robots
• Every robot type, including response, inspection and patrol robots.

02 OEMs, Drones and VTOL

• atomgigs.com/oems
• Drones, VTOL, IoT and automation, and their makers.

03 Talent

• atomgigs.com/talent
• The contractors who run the machines.

05 Enablers

• atomgigs.com/enablers
• Financing, insurance, platforms and standards.

07 Data Centers

• atomgigs.com/data-center
• Security and operations for data centers.

09 Construction and Infrastructure

• atomgigs.com/construction
• Shipyards, ports and environmental remediation.

11 Commercial Services

• atomgigs.com/commercial
• Venues, campuses and facilities.

13 Physical AI Technology

• atomgigs.com/technology
• Compute, sensing, control, AI models, simulation and deployment.

What Atomgigs is

• Robots, drones, VTOL, IoT and automation, with people, as one hybrid workforce.
• Humans in the lead, physical AI in the loop.
• Not a machine builder: it sources from makers, then staffs, integrates, deploys and operates.

The sources

• Robots: every robot type, profiled in depth.
• Everything other than robots: drones, VTOL, IoT and automation, from many makers.
• The humans: role families across the trades, engineering and safety, every person a contractor.

Who we work with

• Investors: consulting before and after the deal.
• Enablers: financiers, insurers, platforms and regulators behind every deal.
• Channel partners: engineering, design, MEP and construction firms.

Buyer groups

• Data centers
• Manufacturing and logistics
• Construction and infrastructure
• Public safety and defense (no weapons)
• Commercial services
• Physical AI labs

How it works

• Consulting engagement, then a short pilot, then production.
• One scope, one site, one metric in the pilot.
• A small senior pod runs every site, with a named human manager for every robot.

How we are paid

• Pilot, managed crew, outcome-based or advisory.
• No capital outlay for machines and no long-term headcount.
• Pay for capacity and outcomes; scale up as results are proven.

Mavengigs Consulting

• Strategic M&A, transformation and optimization
• Focused on the part of M&A that begins after everyone shakes hands
• Built for PE-backed and Fortune 500 teams

Mavengigs Capital

• An independent sponsor platform
• Family office strategy and management

Mavengigs Ventures

• Funding and mentorship for founders we back
• Panmedical: digital health in India, run as CEO
• Atomgigs, Mavens Life and Mavens Health

Career and experience

• 30+ years of management consulting: managed major M&A deals totaling $20 billion; scaled 50+ companies for $100 million of impact
• Deep expertise in M&A consulting, including integrations and divestitures
• 2018 to present: Mavengigs: Consulting, Capital and Ventures
• 2004 to present: Founded Panvisage, CEO for 22 years
• 2024 to present: Panmedical CEO (digital health)
• 1998 to 2004: Oracle, led 14 enterprise programs
• 1994 to 1996: Rolled out nationwide cell networks
• 1992 to 1994: Car and truck design (CAD, CAM, CIM)
• 1991: B.E. Electrical and Electronics Engineering
• 1989 to 1991: Designed robots, AGVs and manufacturing transfer lines
• Data centers: built one from scratch in 2000; data center migration in 2008; Equinix in 2020
• E&C companies: WSP, Jacobs, Worley, Halliburton, Fluor, Brown & Root
• Managed the buildout of a manufacturing plant and a distribution center

Monty Pandey

• Founder and CEO, Atomgigs
• Founder and CEO, Mavengigs
• Co-founder and CEO, Panmedical

Not investment advice

Atomgigs provides consulting. We are not an investment advisor, so you make your own decisions on investments.

Products belong to their owners

Company, product and robot names, logos and photos are used as examples and belong to their owners. This deck is for information only and is not a contract or an offer.

About the numbers

Numbers come from publicly available sources and are the latest available at publication. Costs, prices and returns are typical ballpark values, not quotes; they will be updated for your specific engagement.

01

Key numbers, public safety.

150

02

Key numbers, defense and rules.

151