UCLA police spent $216,543 on drones and requested more projectiles

UCLA’s police department spent $216,543 on three Skydio X10 drones and reported holding stocks of rubber bullets and pepper projectiles, according to its annual military equipment report. The disclosure matters because the university has seen protests and clashes on campus, and the department is seeking approval to expand some of its equipment.

The report requests up to six additional drones, including two for operational use and four for training, plus 1,000 more pepper projectiles. UCLA police currently list 1,875 PepperBall Live-X PAVA rounds and 1,000 VXR rounds; the report says 199 rubber-bullet rounds had expired unused. The department said additional equipment was needed to support its growth and expansion.