(Overland Park, KS) — Titan Protection and Consulting announced today that a first-of-its-kind deployment of its self-docking, remote-piloted security drone successfully deterred a theft at an automotive dealership in Kansas City. A new case study details the installation, deployment, and successful deterrence of an attempted theft by Titan’s autonomous drone system at Molle Toyota in Kansas City.
The deployment represents the first documented installation of a commercial security drone system at an automotive retail facility under a nationwide “beyond visual line of sight” (BVLOS) waiver from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The waiver allows Titan to operate surveillance drones across the United States without obtaining FAA authorization for each location.
“This incident is a perfect example of why our remote-piloted drones are a game changer for businesses – especially those with valuable assets in hard-to-patrol areas,” said Titan Founder and President, Ryan Smith. “Titan’s first-in-the-nation waiver, combined with our highly-trained remote pilots and the latest autonomous drones, opens up a range of security applications that can be installed at a speed and a price point that were unheard of even a couple of years ago.”
On July 27, 2025, two suspects approached a black Corvette positioned in a poorly-lit area and shattered the vehicle’s driver’s side window. Titan’s autonomous drone, which had been installed just two weeks earlier, detected the intrusion and diverted from its patrol route to investigate. Operators at Titan’s monitoring center then alerted on-site security officers, and remote pilots provided aerial surveillance support to responders, causing the suspects to flee on foot.
“This was the first time we’ve ever seen criminals actually run away because they knew they were caught,” said Rick Van Zon, CFO of Molle Toyota. “Previously, we used to watch footage the next morning of criminals who had free rein of our property for over an hour. It was demoralizing for our team and devastating for our bottom line.”
Molle Toyota and its neighboring Cable Dahmer Chevrolet deployed Titan’s drone system following a string of ten major security incidents. Despite the presence of traditional security measures, including fixed cameras and periodic guard patrols, the automotive dealerships had sustained hundreds of thousands of dollars in losses. Titan’s drone-as-a-service system was deployed to patrol more than 100 acres of property.
The incident demonstrates the practical application of Titan’s Automated Response and Patrol (ARP) Technology, which combines automated drones with remote pilots. These systems can conduct scheduled patrols, proactively respond to threats, monitor blind spots, and provide real-time intelligence to security teams anywhere in the United States outside of restricted airspace.
“The biggest entry barrier for potential security drone customers has been the time and expense of obtaining a location-specific waiver – which can cost tens of thousands of dollars per site,” said Thomas Keary, Autonomous Operations Manager at Titan. “Our solution eliminates that, allowing us to expedite comprehensive drone-as-a-service solutions for customers as well as decrease their costs.”
Operating from their 5-Diamond and UL-certified remote pilot operations center in Kansas City, KS, Titan’s certified operators monitor, respond to, and inspect all areas of a property on demand, including blind spots and hard-to-reach areas, without the time and expense of getting individual waivers for each site.
About Titan Protection
Titan Protection and Consulting is a leading provider of comprehensive security services and innovative technologies. Headquartered in Overland Park, Kansas, with a 5-Diamond UL-certified monitoring center, Titan delivers security solutions nationwide through a team of over 600 employees. Founded by former law enforcement officer Ryan Smith, the company combines superior people and technology to protect clients through integrated services, including video monitoring, guard services, patrol services, remote security towers, and state-of-the-art drone technology. With experience in drone operations since 2014 and a team of highly trained professionals consisting mainly of off-duty law enforcement officers, Titan specializes in creating customized security solutions that blend virtual and physical security to meet each client’s specific needs. tpcsecurity.com