While firefighters already have a challenging enough job of fighting fires in the backcountry, drones have made their task even harder. Many individuals with a hobby of capturing extreme video footage of natural disasters operate drones to record these videos, however it adds to the worries of firefighters and lawmakers because drones can sabotage firefighting efforts by getting sucked into jet engines or crash into cockpits.
There are several stakeholders placing emphasis on the change in legislation in order to introduce stricter punishments against individuals who operate drones in regions with ongoing firefighting efforts. The sensitivity of the issue can be assessed from the fact that the county Board of Supervisors in Sacramento and Washington voted unanimously to support bills that introduce stricter punishments. It has been quoted by officials that firefighters strive to save lives, while drone operators not only jeopardize their efforts but, also put their lives at risk.
It has also been said that drones are not only a cause for concern for firefighters, but they are a concerning factor for commercial aircrafts and emergency-response teams. The challenges associated with drones include: lack of radio contact with the operators, inability to move firefighting vehicles and other equipment in the region where drones are being operated due to difficulty of ensuring safety, and the need to contact the drone operator in person to leave. If the drone operator is not found, the firefighting crew remains unable to operate which completely jeopardizes the firefighting efforts.
Confrontations between firefighters and drone operators near wildfires have become more frequent and they are not only witnessed in the US but also in other countries such as Canada, the UK, and Australia. It is now clear that use of drones has become hazardous in certain situations and stricter action has become an imperative issue that needs to be addressed.
Let me answer the question this article asks ……the answer is NO.
Now, can we move along with life?
Didn’t think so…. Ok, let’s address this boogieman.
Can anybody identify the “officials” in the statement… ” It has been quoted by officials that firefighters strive to save lives, while drone operators not only jeopardize their efforts but, also put their lives at risk.”?
Didn’t think so. The whole article paints firefighters out to be a bunch of pansies.
The statement …”inability to move firefighting vehicles and other equipment in the region where drones are being operated due to difficulty of ensuring safety”…
What? You think a camera drone can stop this?…. http://e-one.com/product_category/pumpers/
Seriously? There are many firemen in my family and ANY rig I or they ever drove could squash ANY drone ever made….. period ….. end of statement!
This whole “Drones Are Bad” movement seems to be “Much ado about nothing” …
UAV’s, drones, and quadcopters are media darlings for the moment and news reporters love to make a meal out of a few scraps of information either confirmed or suspected. It’s easy to vilify anything new with just a few well chosen buzzwords and sensationalism will be assured.
There are other hazards to aviation such as soot, ash, smoke, birds, but because they don’t have the news buzz appeal they move on. Let’s just look ….
(See Wikipedia Bird strike)
Number of bird strikes vs. aircraft annually (with only 20% reported)……. Over 10,000
Number of human deaths due to bird strikes ……………….….……………… Over 500
Number of dollars annually spent as a result of bird strikes …… Over $1,000,000,000.00
Number of birds estimated to be in the air at any given time………….Over 2,000,000,000
Number of feet of altitude birds can be involved in strikes……………………. Over 30,000
Vs.
Number of human deaths due to model quadcopters.…………………..…….….…….0
Number of chances of a jet ingesting a quadcopter in each engine at the same time….0
Number of chances of a controlled model camera drone being above 30,000 feet ……0
And you are worried about a handful of toys?
We have just scratched the surface of the beneficial potential that drones can do for
mankind. Delivery of defibrillators, blood, medicine, border surveillance, traffic reports. Oh yeah, don’t forget… fire fighting information and observation as well as GPS delivery of necessary supplies to the boots-on-the-ground smokeeaters.
One definite way to suck the life out of this innovation and potential would be to have a bunch of ill-informed government anti-visionaries or “county Board of Supervisors” involved mudding up the waters with tons of bureaucratic red tape, needless to say there are many past examples of what happens when the government gets their fingers in the pie.
Once the media separates the darker side of UAVs that bombs innocent victims in foreign lands from the commercial and recreational drones/quadcopters that has its beneficial aspects, the better we will all be.
But for now, the media should go pick on video games for a while, or better yet, birds.
Then there is this…..
http://www.wirelessdesignmag.com/blogs/2015/08/firefighters-light-human-shaped-drone-fire-epic-fantastic-four-stunt?et_cid=4717131&et_rid=650438785&type=cta
Be sure to watch the video…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3usKUcFVeY
And my comment, that they may or may not publish, regarding it….
Over a Million dollars in time, equipment, and personnel gather for a movie stunt and “Drones” are a good thing.
Yet, Billy flies his toy drone close to his neighbors tomato plant and all heck breaks loose. People (none of which are probably involved) calling for action from the FAA, FCC, CIA, etc., etc. and the media is there to fan the embers of sensationalism, ready to vilify Billy while lumping him in the same category as drone strikes in Yemen.
You have to love the ironic double standard here……
The following was a comment in Rotor Drone magazine regarding the halting of firefighting flights….
No accidents have been reported because of drone interference, Forest Service spokeswoman Heather Noel said.
“But it’s a growing trend,” she said.
I would think that a “growing trend” of “No accidents” is a good thing. (Not my words. Her words)
Noel said. The Forest Service said there’s a potential for “smokejumpers,” firefighters who parachute into remote areas, to collide with drones as well.
Really? Smokejumpers? Collide?
Yeah, I suppose there is a one in a Trillion chance of a smokejumper to go feet first into a 3 pound drone on his way down into a RAGING FOREST FIRE while wearing boots that are steel-toed, chainsaw and fire retarded just before he (or she) lands [in] grizzly bear country. Yup, better not let them jump during a drone flight, after all, the drone might blow some dust and get their gloves all sooty… can’t have that can we?
Really Forest Service, put on your big girl panties and stop whining about every little thing that disturbs your delicate sensibilities. I don’t hear you stopping flights because of birds fleeing the trees, and there are WAY more birds in the area of a forest fire than there has EVER been toy drones.
I wonder, has a smokejumper ever landed on a bird on his way down?”