New York City’s firefighters have implemented a new method involving drones to keep them safer. They have begun testing an $85,000 small, fire-engine red unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) capable of taking both standard infrared images and videos. The device sends footage to commanders in real time, providing them with the necessary information to make a quick response.
Traditionally, the fire department sends out skilled personnel equipped with professional tools needed to take photos of a scene before making a decision on how to react. After a gas explosion in 2014, fire department director Timothy E. Herlocker noted the benefits of deploying drones for the job instead. He compared the photos captured by an amateur pilot versus those taken by the drone, realizing that the machine provided much more information with its eagle-eye views of the entire scenario.
Because it’s difficult to fly a drone through a maze of buildings, the department made the decision to attach the machine to a tether while it takes photos and videos.
“It is without a doubt the most boring drone you've ever seen in your life,” Herlocker said. “All it does is goes up, and it stays there.”
Photo courtesy of the New York Times .
The team of firefighters plans to deploy their first drone within the next few weeks, responding to two-alarm or greater fires. However, although the UAV is operated by a government agency, it will still need to get permission from the FAA to be regulated. The proposal will take approximately 15 minutes to send, and the FAA promises to approve those requests as quickly as possible, especially “in situations where lives may be at risk.”
Via Engadget
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