UAS – Unmanned Aerial Programs or drones – are a comparatively new instrument for wildland firefighters, offering hearth managers and floor crews with real-time pictures, movies, mapping capabilities and infrared imaging to detect warmth signatures and spot fires.
Drones are additionally able to igniting and dropping glycol-filled capsules resembling ping-pong balls, lighting floor fuels throughout burning operations, with out the inherent dangers of helicopter operations flying “low and sluggish” to perform the identical duties.
However unauthorized drones operated by non-public residents pose excessive hazards round wildfires – to pilots, plane and firefighters alike. Even when a Momentary Flight Restriction (TFR) shouldn’t be in place over a wildfire, it’s a federal crime to intrude with wildfire operations, with civil penalties as much as $20,000.
There have been drone incursions on the Armstrong Hearth in Houston and the Elmore Hearth in East Anchorage this yr.
“If You Fly, We Can’t.”
Please go to https://www.faa.gov/uas/media/FAA_drones_wildfires_toolkit.pdf for extra data.
Picture: Mike McMillan/AKDOF
Classes: AK Hearth Information