WASHINGTON, D.C. — In an effort to tackle the growing dilemma of drones interfering with wildfire firefighter operations, the U.S. Department of the Interior has created a prototype warning system and geofencing alarms to keep drones out of those areas.
The department partnered with drone industry companies to implement the warning system, reported KTVZ.
The project uses publicly available location data to alert “drone pilots before they entire air space over an active wildland fire,” Mark Bathrick, director of Interior’s Office of Aviation Services told KTVZ.
The department developed the system with DJ Innovations, AirMap and Skyward, who are providers of airspace intelligence and navigational services to unmanned aircraft.
“No responsible drone operator wants to endanger the lives of the men and women who work to protect them, and we believe this program, which uses the global positioning system to create a virtual barrier, will move us one step closer to eliminating this problem for wildfires,” Bathrick said.
When drones entre wildfire areas, they force aerial operations to be stalled and time sensitive efforts to control and contain fires.
More than 15 drone intrusions have impeded on aerial firefighting operations in California, Arizona, Utah, Nevada, Alaska, Minnesota and Montana.
The department, the Federal Aviation Administration and the U.S. Forest Service have aimed to increase public awareness, establish notification protocols and enforce penalties when drone violations occur.
The prototype warning system maps drone-sensitive locations, in which drone manufacturers can now automatically “geo-fence” wildfire areas from entrance in the products they sell.