Extreme drone training? Flying Lion’s FLI Town has it covered

First responders looking to improve their drone skills just got a groundbreaking new training ground. Drone service provider Flying Lion has unveiled FLI Town, the nation’s first dedicated Drone as First Responder (DFR) training center. This state-of-the-art facility is designed for police, fire, and emergency teams to sharpen their drone skills in real-world scenarios — all in a safe and controlled environment.

DFR programs are changing the way emergency teams respond to incidents, using drones as their eyes in the sky before ground crews arrive. Until now, training for these high-stakes operations often took place in urban environments with limitations. Enter FLI Town — a secure, vendor-agnostic facility where public safety agencies can train, test, and collaborate without ground risks or interference from crewed aircraft.

With 20+ operational scenarios, agencies can simulate everything from search and rescue missions to traffic accident responses. Whether it’s a missing hiker in a remote canyon or a hazardous spill on a highway, trainees will get hands-on experience without ever leaving their stations.

Flying Lion has secured an FAA Part 107 Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) waiver, allowing drones to operate at up to 400 feet AGL without requiring a human visual observer. This means first responders can practice their skills from anywhere in the country — just an internet connection away.

“The goal was to find a safe location to train remote operators on real-world calls for service, and FLI Town is the solution,” says Barry Brennan, president and founder of Flying Lion. “Remote pilots can now train on emergency scenarios without even being onsite.”

Beyond training, FLI Town doubles as a tough-testing ground for drone technology. Located in the California Colorado Desert, it provides some of the most extreme conditions in the US — think 110°F+ summers, less than three inches of rainfall a year, and 348 days of sunshine. If a drone can survive here, it can survive just about anywhere.

“FLI Town is such a unique place, and we’re honored to be a training partner with Flying Lion,” says Chief Charles Werner, founder of DRONERESPONDERS. “Having a private, dedicated location for DFR training with minimal risk is invaluable.”

FLI Town is also a dream destination for drone enthusiasts. With more than 16 vendor partners, it offers hands-on access to top drone tech, letting agencies test, configure, and compare different systems before deployment.

Key industry players are already on board, including DJI, Starlink, Motorola Solutions, and Nokia, among others. Whether it’s high-tech sensors, advanced software, or robust communication tools, FLI Town is set to be a major hub for drone-driven public safety solutions.

Since its founding in 2014, Flying Lion has completed over 59,400 DFR missions, with more than 37,725 flown BVLOS. Now, with FLI Town, they’re bringing first responder drone training into the future — one high-flying mission at a time.

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