Flying Lion Unveils FLI Town, the Nation's First Dedicated Drone as First Responder (DFR) Training Center

FLI Town Provides a Safe, Remote Location for Uncrewed Aircraft Training, Testing & Collaboration

REDONDO BEACH, Calif., March 11, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Flying Lion, Inc., a leading drone service provider, proudly announces the launch of FLI Town, the nation's first dedicated Drone as First Responder (DFR) training center. Designed for real-world DFR training, testing, and collaboration, FLI Town provides a secure, vendor-agnostic environment with no ground risk and minimal conflict with crewed aircraft.

A Premier DFR Training Facility for Public Safety Agencies

FLI Town provides public safety agencies with realistic, scenario-based training to develop and refine DFR tactics. Agencies can participate in 20+ operational scenarios through Flying Lion-hosted or vendor-led programs, enhancing readiness in a controlled, safe setting.

Flying Lion has also secured an FAA Part 107 Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) waiver up to 400 feet AGL (with no human visual observer), enabling 24/7 remote training flights from any location with an internet connection.

"The goal was to find a safe location to train remote operators on real-world calls for service, and FLI Town is the solution," said Barry Brennan, President & Founder of Flying Lion. "Thanks to our hardware and software partners, we have built a truly special training facility where remote pilots can train without being onsite."

An Extreme Testing Environment for UAS Technology

Beyond training, FLI Town serves as an ideal testing ground for drones and supporting technologies. Situated in the California Colorado Desert, it provides an extreme environment for hardware stress testing, with 110°F+ summer temperatures, under three inches of annual rainfall, and 348 days of sunshine per year—perfect for evaluating drone endurance and reliability.

"FLI Town is such a unique place, and we're honored to be a training partner with Flying Lion," said Chief Charles Werner, founder of DRONERESPONDERS. "Having a dedicated, private location for realistic DFR training with minimal ground or air risk is invaluable—this is truly one of a kind."

A Hub for UAS Innovation & Collaboration

As a 100% vendor-agnostic facility, FLI Town provides hands-on access to top uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) solutions, allowing agencies to test, configure, and evaluate different technologies.

Flying Lion is proud to have the following UAS-industry partners supporting FLI Town:

Training Partners

• DRONERESPONDERS
• National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

Sensor Technology

• MatrixSpace
• Tempest Weather
• uAvionix Casia-G
• uAvionix FlightStation

Hardware & Accessories

• AVSS
• DJI
• IR Tools
• Nokia
• Rohde & Schwarz

Communications

• Starlink
• T-Mobile

Software Solutions

• FlightOps
• Kongsberg Geospatial
• Motorola Solutions
• TruWeather Solutions
• Votix

About Flying Lion

Founded in 2014, Flying Lion, Inc. (FLI) is a premier drone service provider for law enforcement, public safety agencies, and municipalities. Specializing in Drone as First Responder (DFR) operations, Flying Lion offers on-demand drone air support, FAA regulatory consulting, training, staffing, dock installation and maintenance, and equipment leasing. With over 59,400 DFR missions completed—37,725+ conducted Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS)—Flying Lion is a trusted leader in the industry.

To learn more, visit flyinglioninc.com.

About FLI Town

FLI Town is a privately owned training, testing, and collaboration center developed and run by Flying Lion. Situated in the deserted town of Eagle Mountain, California, FLI Town provides a controlled environment with zero ground risk and minimal air risk for Drone as First Responder (DFR) operations and training. Once home to the Kaiser Steel iron ore mine, Eagle Mountain was a thriving company town with over 4,000 residents and 400 homes before its closure in the early 1980s. Surrounded on three sides by Joshua Tree National Park, the site offers a secure, remote environment for cutting-edge drone operations and training.

To learn more, visit flyinglioninc.com/training/fli_town

Contacts:

Flying Lion
Steven Katz – VP (Media Contact)
[email protected]
P: +1 (310) 702-8147

Flying Lion
Barry Brennan – President & Founder
[email protected]
P: +1 (310) 722-1550

Follow us:
LinkedIn: @flyinglioninc

SOURCE Flying Lion, Inc.