Residents demand Skydio contract disclosure, cite human-rights concerns

Several speakers at the Saint Paul hearing asked the council to disclose and reconsider any city contract with Skydio, the drone manufacturer. Wyatt Miller (Ward 4) said he could not find public records or a dollar amount for a proposed docked-drone program and called the lack of transparency "a real travesty." "We don't even know how much money is being spent," Miller said.

Other speakers framed the issue in human-rights terms. Paige Crawford (Ward 1) and Sanet Wazwaz (president, AMP Minnesota) argued that Skydio's sales to Israeli forces create moral and political reasons for the city not to partner with the company. Wazwaz said the coalition that stopped a similar Minneapolis pilot should be a model: "We have just seen Minneapolis stop this contract and I'm asking you to give us the tools to do the same."

Speakers also said the police had characterized drones as not using AI at a community meeting while product materials suggested otherwise, creating conflicting public statements. Multiple speakers asked the council to release any contracts with Skydio, Flock and Axon so residents can evaluate the terms and potential data flows; the council did not vote on contract release at this hearing.