ABOVE: California’s Air National Guard is supporting fire brigades with large, military-grade drones like the MQ-9A
PHOTO: General Atomics
Drones are starting to play an important role in firefighting in the USA. Fire departments in California are using drones with Plastic Sphere Dispenser systems to conduct controlled burns in hard-to-reach areas. These drones drop incendiary spheres that ignite on the ground, creating firebreaks to slow wildfires. Additionally, California’s Air National Guard supports firemen with MQ-9A Reaper drones. These military-grade drones operate above 30,000ft for over 27 hours and are equipped with advanced sensors to provide real-time intelligence, aiding incident commanders in monitoring fire behaviour. Ground crews also utilise smaller drones with thermal cameras to detect hot spots and guide operations safely.
