Editor's Note: No WOSU official or senior editor reviewed this story before publication.
Ohio State University Police plan to install at least three drones on rooftops around the campus area, including on top of WOSU's headquarters at 1800 N. Pearl St.
OSU spokesman Dan Hedman said in a statement OSUPD will use drones as first responders. Law enforcement agencies around the country, including the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office, are using drones this way. The drones launch from a set site and fly to traffic incidents or crime scenes to provide overwatch capabilities before police officers arrive on scene.
Hedman didn't say how the drones will be used exactly. The university has worked with other law enforcement agencies in the past to monitor protests and large events on campus using drones.
The university has cracked down on protest activity in the last three years, recently arresting three people at a protest against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security inside the Ohio Union.
OSUPD's law enforcement partners launched drones above pro-Palestinian protests on the South Oval from the 2023 to 2025 school years. At one of these protests, OSUPD, the Ohio State Highway Patrol and the Franklin County Sheriff's Office arrested three dozen protestors.
WOSU's building is owned by Ohio State's real estate arm Campus Partners under an LLC called Redstone Realty.
Hedman said WOSU leadership approved the drone placement.
Hedman also said he doesn't expect the drones will impact WOSU's editorial independence.
WOSU received 10% of its total revenue from OSU in 2024, or about $1.6 million. Most of WOSU's funding comes from community support, especially after the Ohio government and President Donald Trump cut state and federal funding to WOSU.
Hedman didn't explain why the building next door to WOSU, which houses Ohio State President Ted Carter's offices on 15th Avenue, wasn't chosen. He said WOSU and the other buildings were chosen for a variety of factors, including geographic location, rooftop clearance and connectivity to data and power.
Hedman didn't say where the two other drones will be placed on campus. He said OSU will make an announcement and have media availability about the drones this spring.
"We are excited to talk about this when it’s ready to launch as another positive layer of safety enhancements," Hedman said.
