Turning To Drones In Time For Wildfire Season

Wildfire season is starting soon and authorities in Oregon are looking to get some help from drones in combating any problems.

Last year, it's said that the Western US saw one of its worst wildfire seasons in years. And fire fighters and rescue teams have previously deployed the use of drones to help out in spotting a fire that hadn't been spotted by a helicopter or airplane.

By opting to use drones, the BLM has estimated that the drone, by spotting the fire early, has helped them to save tens of millions in potential damages.

The federal government has already enlisted the help of unmanned aircraft to assist with fighting wildfires in the California region and elsewhere. And because they are proving so helpful, more are looking to incorporate them into their service model.

Firefighters have been using drones in a variety of areas to help them try and save lives.

The drones are helpful with firefighting in being able to locate hot spots and they can search buildings when those locations might be too unsafe for firefights to go in and inspect.

One way that they are really going to help is in saving these different rescue agencies potentially millions of dollars. This is because they can opt for using a drone to search different areas instead of going with a manned helicopter that is much more costly.

Between 2009 and 2017 it's estimated that at least 69 different fire departments in the US had purchased drones.

For those who have seen the capabilities first hand with what these drones can help to do, they say that they've been sold. Whether it's surveying wildlife, checking hot spots, drawing maps, or assisting with some other task, there are many different ways that drones can benefit rescue teams and fire departments around the US and elsewhere.

However, there is always the chance that the drone could crash in the woods though, and start another fire. Which is what happened to one drone operator recently from Arizona. But overall, they've provided tremendous value in a myriad of ways to different rescue efforts.

Pics:
Pixabay

Sources:
http://www.oregonlive.com/wildfires/index.ssf/2018/03/the_next_wildfire_season_start.html
https://www.cnbc.com/2017/08/26/skyfire-consulting-trains-firefighters-to-use-drones-to-save-lives.html
https://www.wired.com/story/drones-take-off-in-the-battle-against-the-los-angeles-fires/
https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2018/03/drone-crashes-in-arizona-national-forest-starts-a-wildfire/

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