Unmanned Aerial Systems in the Fire Service: Concepts and Issues

The presentation will summarize current thinking on the application of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UASs) in the Fire Service. Potential use of UASs to save lives, provide safety and save property has generated preliminary research in three major areas of the fire service to include aviation, structure and wildland scenarios. Roadblocks to the effective use of this technology will also be discussed to include possible command and control issues and governmental actions to limit the use of UASs due to aviation safety concerns. The presenters will recommend areas of future research and steps to implement this technology in the fire service. Keywords: Unmanned Aerial Systems (UASs), incident command systems, fire, emergency services, National Airspace System integration. Notes: Authors will submit a completed research paper for potential inclusion in the International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics and Aerospace (IJAAA)