As fires rage across the Los Angeles area with no end in sight, public safety agencies are deploying a wide range of technologies and systems to collect data, alert the public, and put out the blaze.

According to NBC Bay Area, technology companies in Los Angeles and Silicon Valley are volunteering their services, including deploying drones equipped with artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities “to detect flare-ups and to try to reach new fires as quickly as possible.” These vehicles, the news outlet stated, are “capable of getting closer to the flames than humans would be able to safely, can help map the firefight along with satellites.”

The use of these technologies is seen by many as a “game changer” in the world of firefighting. According to recent reports, climate change, land management practices, and simple human behavior has led to an increase in wildfires in recent years, and emergency responders are turning to new systems to address the growing danger. In particular, AI is being used to accelerate the processing and sorting of large amounts of fire-related information. That information can help firefighters better deploy resources, make decisions, and keep fires from spreading.

California’s Commitment to Drone Technology

The current efforts in Los Angeles to use uncrewed systems, AI, and related technologies build on California’s long-standing commitment to use drones in firefighting. In a January 13 statement on wildfire response and forest management, the state of California asserted that “CAL FIRE has doubled its use of drones for critical tasks like aerial ignition during prescribed burns, wildfire containment, and real-time assessments.”

The statement went on to say that California is also deploying artificial intelligence (AI) lidar, and 3-D mapping to provide real-time intelligence to help firefighters “better understand and navigate complex terrains” and improve ways of delivering “evacuation orders, local shelter information, road closures, and more.” In many cases, these technologies work hand-in-hand with UAVs to perform this critical work.

The current crisis in LA is not the first time California has turned to drones to aid in firefighting. For example, drones played a key role during the Dixie fire of 2021. According to Inside Unmanned Systems, UAVs were fitted with “small spheres of potassium permanganate which, when punctured and injected with glycol, burst into flame.” Called “Dragon Eggs,” these spheres helped firefighters engage in “aerial ignition,” a process derived from “backburning,” in which a swath of fire is ignited in a place “that the fire hasn’t yet reached to deprive it of fuel.”

Also during the Dixie fire, some drones were equipped with infrared equipment. This helped firefighting personnel “find hotspots under the grass and provide safe overhead views.” 

UAVs also helped with important research during and after the devasting California wildfires of 2017 and 2018. As reported in Commercial UAV News, “drones were used in several communities (to) provide aerial damage assessments, mapping, documentation of affected areas, and improving emergency teams’ situational awareness in real-time.”

Problems with Unauthorized Drones

There are many more examples like these of drones helping firefighters do their critical work in California and around the world, but some nagging problems with uncrewed vehicles have come to the forefront during the recent crisis in Los Angeles. These are not problems posed by official, sanctioned uses of uncrewed technology. They are problems posed by reckless, clueless, and unauthorized drone operators.

According to a report in UAS Vision, as of Wednesday, January 15, three people have been arrested in connection with unauthorized drone flights that have hampered emergency response efforts in the Los Angeles area. In one incident, a privately operated drone struck a firefighting aircraft known as a “super scooper,” taking it out of action and unable to assist in crucial missions.

The UAS Vision report explained that “Temporary flight restrictions have been placed above the wildfire zones and federal authorities have deployed ground teams to intercept pilots violating FAA restrictions,” the report said. In all, local authorities have detected 48 privately owned drones flying in wildfire zones.

Drones for the Public Good

At a time when the many benefits of using uncrewed systems in firefighting are on full display, the careless and lawless actions of these private drone operators raise serious concerns about the general use of uncrewed vehicles. These actions distract from the positive stories being told about drone flights for the public good.

As Staff Writer Carla Lauter explained recently in Commercial UAV News, “While it is easy for those who aren’t familiar with the work of drones to imagine the negative possibilities, the truth about drones—especially in commercial and non-military applications— is far more beneficial than many realize.” Across the US and around the world, she stated, the diverse, innovative, and well-regulated drone industry is providing innumerable societal benefits in areas such as public safety, law enforcement, and emergency response.

Here’s hoping that private drone operators learn important lessons from these incidents in Los Angeles, and that public agencies and regulators find new ways to curb unauthorized drone activity, keep the public safe, and further promote the use of uncrewed systems in emergency operations.

The Los Angeles Fire Department has compiled a list of resources to help support ongoing wildfire recovery and preparatory efforts. Commercial UAV News staff have made contributions to the LAFD Foundation and encourage readers to visit the LAFD Wildfire Donation Resources page or the California Community Foundation Wildfire Recovery Fund for additional donation resources and links.