Today in the Washington Post, drone imagery helps to tell the story of Berry Creek and the North Complex Fire that devastated the small town in California.
On Monday, an Autel Evo I drone was donated to the East Great Plain Volunteer Fire Department in Norwich, CT. The drone was donated by Autel Robotics and FoxFury Lighting to the National Public Safety Drone Donation Program, which in turn donated the equipment to the fire department.
Update: an earlier version of this article referred to an Autel EVO II, whereas it is an Autel EVO I instead.
Fireball-dropping drones are the latest technology that is used by firefighters in California to battle the unprecedented wildfires. The drones are arguably the greatest innovation in fire fighting this year says a National Geographic reporter.
A DJI Mavic 2 Enterprise Dual, flown by an instructor from Lane Community College’s drone program, helped to see through the thick smoke of the Holiday Farm Fire in Oregon to identify hot spots.
In an emergency situation, when every second counts, making the right decision quickly can mean the difference between life or death. The DJI Mavic 2 Enterprise Dual gives firefighters a tactical advantage as it can help pinpoint the exact location of a fire inside a building or structure. Without a drone and a thermal camera locating a fire or deciding what door can be safely opened can be a deadly guessing game.
Washington needs to reconsider drone-banning proposals, argues Carrick Detweiler, CEO of Drone Amplified. He explains in an open letter why drones play such a crucial rule in monitoring, preventing, and fighting wildfires. Detweiler also argues for the U.S. government to create data security standards for drones instead of simply looking at the country of origin. You can read the entire letter below. I recommend reading it as it gives an important perspective on how drones can help to keep us safe in a saver and less expensive way compared to traditional methods.
Firefighters in Colorado use drone-deployed dragon eggs against wildfires. These ping-pong sized balls have been used to help contain the Grizzly Creek Fire outside Glennwood Springs.
Firefighters turn to drones to fight the Woodward Fire in Marin County, California. The fire has been raging for two weeks and currently, it is only 17 percent contained.
According to an internal memo, the U.S. Department of the Interior’s decision not to buy more drones with Chinese parts has made it more difficult to fight wildfires. The memo exposes one consequence of the Trump administration’s crackdown on Chinese tech, which includes Chinese-made drone parts.
A fire department drone monitors the scene of a major gas explosion in the Reisterstown Station neighborhood in Northwest Baltimore that killed one woman and injured seven others.
A drone hindered firefighters during their battle with the Larkspur wildfire in Colorado, according to the Forest Service on Thursday.
A drone stops Honolulu firefighters during their battle with a large brush fire on Waianae. Honolulu Fire spokesman Capt. Jeffrey Roache said that helicopters resumed aerial operations after the drone operator was found and ordered to land his unmanned aircraft.
Last Thursday, a 25-year-old man was rescued from the Ogden River after the SUV he was driving had crashed in Ogden Canyon, UT. The Weber County Search and Rescue team used a DJI Mavic 2 Enterprise with a thermal camera and spotlight to look for any other possible victims. #droneforgood
On April 4th, a massive wildfire broke out in the forests around the Chernobyl exclusion zone, almost exactly 34 years after the meltdown of reactor four in April 1986. A fleet of 10 unmanned aircraft including two DJI Mavic 2 Enterprise Dual drones were deployed to help fight the wildfires. Insights gained from thermal drone imagery helped firefighters extinguish the fire that posed a threat to local communities.
The Minnesota Interagency Fire Center and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources ask people not to use their drones near wildfires. In Minnesota, the months of April and May are typically the most active times for such fires, say experts.
On Saturday a drone interfered with helicopters that were involved in fighting the Cameron Peak fire in