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Fighting Fire With
Thermal:
DJI’s Complete Guide to Thermal Drones
enterprise.dji.com
Fighting Fire
With Thermal
DJI’s Complete Guide to Thermal Drones
CONTENTS
1 Guidebook Introduction 01

2 Introduction to Thermal Imaging 02

3 Principles of Thermal Imaging 03

How Surface Characteristics Impact Measurements
Understanding the Atmosphere

4 The Basics of a Thermal Camera 06

Range
Thermal Sensitivity
Field of View
Image Resolution
Spectral Band

5 Thermal Imaging Tools 08

6 Color Palettes 08

7 Isotherms 09

8 Blending/Fusion 09
9 The Benefits of Thermal Drones 09
Removing the guesswork from operations
Hotspot detection
Supporting operations alongside crewed aircraft
Fire prevention
Hazmat and Search & Rescue

10 Firefighting Case Studies 14

11 DJI’s Thermal Drone Solutions 16

12 Setting Up a Drone Program 19

Integrating thermal drones with the future of firefighting

13 QEP 20

14 Conclusion 21
The Value of Thermal Drones
INTRODUCTION
In 2019, severe heat waves and sustained drought The severity of these fires is expected to increase in
caused wildfires to ravage more than 330,000 hect- the coming years as global temperatures rise and
ares of land across Europe. Record-breaking blazes droughts are prolonged.
swept across Spain, Greece, Sweden, Germany, Por-
tugal, and the UK, representing a rise of 15 percent Fortunately, the next generation of firefighting solu-
on the decade’s annual average1. Lives were lost, tions is beginning to make its mark. These include
habitats were destroyed, and billions of Euros of drones (UAVs) and the latest in thermal imaging
damage was caused. technology. Both are being deployed by firefighting
crews around the world to support emergency re-
In Australia, the 2019-20 wildfire season has been sponse to wildfires and residential incidents.
labelled ‘Black Summer’ and is on record as the
most devastating in the nation’s history. The area 1. https://effis.jrc.ec.europa.eu/applications/data-and-services/

burned by wildfires in America has almost quadru- 2. https://www.nber.org/papers/w27423.pdf

pled in the past 40 years2.

As you’ll discover in this guide, the combination of Read on to discover the basics of thermal imaging,
drones and thermal imaging is enhancing situation- the benefits of using infrared during firefighting op-
al awareness for teams on the frontline, providing erations, and the specifics of DJI’s thermal drone
real-time insights from above, and saving lives. technology.

Page 01 | Thermal Drones

AN INTRODUCTION TO THERMAL
IMAGING

We humans have always been bound by the limits are able to see: visible light, otherwise known as
of our perception. For thousands of years, we based wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation between
our understanding of the world on what our eyes ~400nm to ~700nm.

It was only in 1800 that astronomer Frederick Wil- The first is that the primary source of infrared radia-
liam Herschel confirmed the existence of something tion is heat. And heat doesn’t always have to be hot.
beyond. In fact, even things we think of as cold emit infrared.

While studying visible light and temperature chang- The second is that all matter emits electromagnetic
es between the different colors, Herschel discov- radiation, so long as its temperature is above Abso-
ered a warmer band just beyond red light. We now lute Zero. The warmer an object, the more infrared
know that invisible band as infrared, which sits on radiation it will emit. This emitted thermal energy is
the electromagnetic spectrum between visible light better known as an object’s ‘heat signature’.
and microwaves.
Absolute Zero isn’t 0°C on the Celsius scale or 0°F
Herschel’s discovery was the foundation that led to on the Farenheit scale. It’s measured in Kelvin, and
all manner of technologies we now take for granted, actually equates to −273.15 °C or −459.67 °F.
including radio communications, microwaves, medi-
cal X-rays and, as we’ll focus on in this guide, infra- All of which means that thermal imaging can make
red sensors. the invisible, visible. The technology can be har-
nessed to see what’s going on under cover of dark-
To understand the importance of Herschel’s discov- ness, pinpoint patches of land that are about to go
ery to today’s thermal imaging applications, we up in flames, and highlight temperature differences
have to go back to two basic principles of physics. between objects.

Thermal Drones | Page 02

HEAT 101
Infrared cameras allow us to see thermal energy in of this guide we will focus primarily on radiation, a
action. Some objects produce heat. Some objects form of heat transfer that relies on infrared waves.
absorb heat. Some objects reflect heat. For the sake

Incident Shortwave Radiation Reflected Long Wave Radiation

Re-Radiated Long Wave Radiation

Heat Absorbed

Transmitted

PRINCIPLES OF THERMAL IMAGING

Thermal imaging from above isn’t as simple as turn- But remotely sensing temperature in this way re-
ing on a thermal camera and sending your drone quires that you account for environmental factors,
into the air. technology limitations, as well as specific properties
of the object you are measuring.
There are a few principles of Radiometry - the sci-
ence of measuring electromagnetic radiation in any As we’ll see, these range from surface characteris-
portion of the electromagnetic spectrum - to con- tics of the object in question, to atmospheric inter-
tend with first. Without a solid understanding of ference, and the technical specifications of the ther-
them, it’s easy to misuse equipment in a way that mal imaging system at your disposal.
actually hinders your firefighting operations.
To get precise, actionable data from your thermal
Thermal cameras measure the temperature of a camera drone, you’ll need to take all of these fac-
surface by assessing the intensity of the infrared tors into account during operations.
signal that reaches the camera. When used proper-
ly, this method is highly precise (and clearly prefera
ble to sending a firefighter into a situation with a
thermometer).

Page 03 | Thermal Drones

HOW SURFACE CHARACTERISTICS IMPACT
THERMAL MEASUREMENTS
When you measure an object’s temperature re- surface temperature. However, certain materials
motely using an infrared sensor, the heat signature have characteristics that make their true surface
you see coming back is indicative of that object’s temperature harder to gauge.

20°
20°

Thermal Imaging System Atmospheric Interference High Emissivity

Often that’s because different surfaces radiate heat Emissivity and reflectivity can add complication to
with different levels of efficiency. This efficiency is seemingly simple temperature assessments and
known as an object’s Emissivity. It’s measured on a lead to inaccurate measurements. But there are
scale from 0 to 1, with 0 being a perfect mirror that ways to compensate for these effects
reflects all energy and 1 being a theoretical “black-
body” that instead absorbs and radiates all energy. UNDERSTANDING THE ATMOSPHERE
It’s not just the properties of the object you are
Shiny or highly polished metallic surfaces are highly measuring that influence the accuracy of infrared
reflective. Just as a mirror reflects visible light, they imaging. There are atmospheric factors, too. These
reflect thermal radiation. They have very low emis- include the density of the air and its humidity.
sivity ratings of around 0.1 and are effectively infra-
red mirrors. The air between your drone and the object you are
looking at interferes with the accuracy of your ther-
Highly reflective surfaces can lead to misinterpret- mal readings.
ed readings from your thermal camera, which will
Our atmosphere also absorbs and emits infrared
detect infrared energy these surfaces are reflecting radiation. You can think of this as thermal energy
from nearby sources, rather than what they are ac- loss as radiation travels between the object in ques-
tually radiating. In practice, this might mean a pol- tion and the camera.
ished surface that’s cool to the touch actually regis-
ters as being far hotter - perhaps because it’s Warm air with high humidity will reduce the trans-
reflecting thermal radiation from the sun, or even mission of infrared energy between object and
you, the operator, standing directly in front of it. camera. As a result, your thermal measurements
will appear colder than the actual surface tempera-
Surfaces with high emissivity, like people (0.98), ture.
concrete (0.92) and flat finish/matte paint (0.9),
therefore provide more accurate temperature read- The effect of the atmosphere on measurement ac-
ings when viewed using a thermal camera. curacy increases with the distance between the

Thermal Drones | Page 04

drone and the object. So the closer you fly, the Using thermal cameras during firefighting opera-
more accurate your thermal measurements will be. tions can provide rapid intelligence when you need
it most. But getting accurate readings isn’t always
It’s also worth bearing in mind that dust, strong easy. An object’s characteristics, the atmosphere
winds, rain, smoke, and snow will also reduce the you’re flying in, and even the distance from the
transmission of infrared radiation and impact your drone to your area of focus all make an impact.
measurements.

20°
20°

Thermal Imaging System Atmospheric Interference High Emissivity

30° 20°

Low Emissivity

15° 20°

Warm Humid

15° 20°

Long Distance

Page 05 | Thermal Drones

THE BASICS OF A THERMAL CAMERA
So how do thermal cameras actually work? What There are a few important elements that impact a
kind of software additions have been developed to thermal camera’s performance...
support the operations of firefighters? And what
kind of specifications should you consider when RANGE
choosing thermal equipment?
When we use range in the context of thermal imaging,
As we’ve seen, thermal cameras work by detecting the term relates to the spectrum of temperatures the
infrared radiation rather than visible light. A typical camera is able to recognise and measure. Many ther-
thermal camera captures infrared energy and pro- mal cameras have more than one range setting, mak-
cesses the data to create an image that depicts a ing them adaptable in different scenarios.
scene and the temperature of the objects within it.
For example, our latest Zenmuse H20T camera has
Thermal cameras usually consist of a lens, a thermal two temperature ranges, one for measuring lower
sensor, and internal electronics that process the im- temperatures from -40 °C to 150 °C, and a second for
age. The lens focuses infrared energy onto the sensor, accurately measuring temperatures from -40 °C to
and the higher the number of pixels in the sensor, the 550 °C. This can be adjusted in the DJI Pilot app’s IR
more detailed that picture will be. Temperature val- camera menu by selecting “Gain Mode”.
ues are measured per pixel; internal algorithms are
used to map these accurately and at speed.

Thermal Drones | Page 06

THERMAL SENSITIVITY (NETD) IMAGE RESOLUTION

Thermal sensitivity is also referred to as Noise Just as with a regular camera, the image resolution
Equivalent Temperature Difference (NETD). This of a thermal sensor is determined by the number of
metric refers to the smallest possible temperature pixels its sensor has. Thermal cameras provide tem-
difference the camera allows you to see. perature readings per pixel, so the higher the reso-
lution, the more detail you will be capturing and the
Clearly, a low NETD is preferable, indicating a highly more accurate your measurements will be.
sensitive thermal imaging system. The usefulness
of this depends on the application at hand, but a Resolution is particularly important if you’re flying
low NETD will lead to less noise in your thermal im- far away from your subject.
ages and greater clarity.
H20T: 640×512
Zenmuse H20T: ≤50 mK @ f/1.0

SPECTRAL BAND
FIELD OF VIEW (FOV)
Every thermal camera works across a specific band
Field of View is relatively straightforward. It relates that’s measured in micrometers (μm). This deter-
to how much of a scene a lens can see. A wide angle mines the range of wavelengths on the electromag-
lens will offer more useful thermal images when netic spectrum that the camera’s sensor can detect.
you’re close to the subject. Ideally, thermal cameras for firefighting applica-
tions will have a longwave spectral range of be-
If you’re observing your subject from a distance, a tween 8µm to 14µm.
more narrow or telephoto lens will allow you to fo-
cus on a particular part of the scene. H20T: 8-14 μm

H20T: 40.6°

Page 07 | Thermal Drones

THERMAL IMAGING TOOLS
There are several software tools firefighters can use isotherms, simplify the process of getting data in
to gather sophisticated and actionable insights us- the field and can be tailored to suit the situation at
ing a thermal camera. These on-screen display fea- hand.
tures, which include blending, color palettes, and

COLOR PALETTES

As we’ve seen, every pixel captured by a thermal bow, use the full spectrum of color to highlight
camera is given an individual temperature reading small temperature differences.
in order to build an accurate image. Part of this
process is assigning each temperature point with a The best color palette for firefighters depends on
specific color. the situation at hand. The majority of scenarios re-
quire relative temperature information rather than
The result is an image that displays the heat gradi- detailed measurements, so palettes focused on
ent using a spectrum of color to determine the heat displaying thermal contrast clearly are usually pre-
sources within the scene. There are several preset ferred.
color schemes, known as color palettes, which can
be used depending on the situation or the opera- But ultimately it comes down to the speed at which
tor’s preference. a scene can be interpreted. This improves with
time, familiarity, and practice.
Some palettes have been designed to remove the
complexity of color and instead draw attention to
body heat - such as Black Hot. Others, such as Rain

Thermal Drones | Page 08

ISOTHERMS BLENDING/FUSION

Isotherm settings allow the operator to highlight Many of the latest thermal sensors operate side by
certain temperature ranges and make them stand side with RGB visible light cameras. The two can
out in real time. work together to produce a single image that com-
bines elements of infrared images with standard
Isotherms are best deployed when you want to fo- pictures.
cus on a specific temperature band. Firefighters can
use this tool to highlight patches of land that are at This technique fuses details that can only be seen
risk of going up in flames or lingering hotspots after with a regular visible light camera with thermal im-
a fire has been extinguished in the area. agery to enhance the operator’s understanding of
the scene in front of them. It can bring to light criti-
Isotherms can make sure you don’t fail to spot cal information that wouldn’t otherwise be visible.
something significant in your image, but they can
also be misused. For example, it’s not recommend- Rather than simply mixing thermal with visible,
ed to use isotherms for SAR missions, as there are blending software aims to combine and superim-
usually too many variables - including emissivity, re- pose the useful visible details that thermal can’t
flexivity and atmospherics - in play. see, such as an object’s lines and edge.

THE BENEFITS OF THERMAL CAMERA DRONES

Handheld thermal imaging tools have been used to hotspots can be identified, the safety of operations
support structure fire operations since the mid-1990s. can be enhanced, additional data can be gathered,
But a view from the ground has limitations. Today, and resources can be more effectively allocated to
drones with RGB cameras provide firefighters with a where they are needed most.
versatile and easy-to-deploy tool that improves situa-
tional awareness and helps crews work smarter. It’s not unusual for the scope of firefighting missions to
change in an instant. Thermal imaging can be har-
The introduction of flying thermal cameras promises nessed to support operations before, during
greater visibility and a more rounded view of the and after a fire, as well as when dealing with hazardous
situation at hand. With this technology, invisible materials incidents and search and rescue missions.

Page 09 | Thermal Drones

REMOVING THE GUESSWORK FROM
OPERATIONS

Burning forests, grasslands, and buildings are inher- During structure fires, thermal drones can help crews
ently dangerous. But firefighters must contend with track the progress of a fire as it travels through a
uncertainty both as a situation unfolds and after the building. Traditionally, the cutting of ventilation holes
bulk of the fire is extinguished. in an effort to make the conditions inside safer for
firefighters and those trapped inside is guided by edu-
Where and how quickly the fire is spreading, the pres- cated guesswork.
ence of accelerators, the integrity of any structures
involved, risks in the vicinity, the potential for second- Now, crews can see right away where the fire is at its
ary fires, and the safety of those fighting the blaze are fiercest and get an indication of a structure’s integrity
just a few of the dynamic elements in play. during a fire. All of which reduces the time spent in
precarious locations while ensuring efforts are safer
With so many variables to consider, situational aware- and better coordinated.
ness is priceless. Drone-enabled thermal imaging can
provide objectivity and clarity when it’s needed most. Whether tackling a burning building or a forest fire, no
firefighter wants to leave until it’s safe to do so. A
HOTSPOT DETECTION small smouldering hotspot can easily lead to another
blaze in the hours following a crew’s departure from
Thermal cameras allow firefighters to see infrared ra- the scene.
diation from above. From structural fires to wildfires,
the ability to locate hotspots can be the bedrock of Signs of heat aren’t always easy to spot. With thermal,
smarter operations. By determining hotspots that are crews can leave the scene confident they won’t have
otherwise invisible to the naked eye, crews can work to return in a hurry.
in safer conditions, reduce the time it takes to get a
blaze under control, and prevent secondary fires from As we’ll see, this capability ranges from picking out
occurring. hotspots and preventing reignition, to guiding operations
and ensuring fire chiefs deploy resources effectively.

Thermal Drones | Page 10

SUPPORTING OPERATIONS ALONGSIDE
CREWED AIRCRAFT

As we’ll explore shortly, one of the main challenges fac- Making timely tactical decisions is central to any ef-
ing firefighting teams that want to use thermal drones fective wildfire response. Thermal drones can pro-
during operations is the presence of crewed aircraft. vide the data needed to deploy resources where
This is particularly the case when combating wildfires. they will be most effective and keep firefighters
safe.
Developments are underway that will see uncrewed
aircraft safely integrated with the planes and heli-
copters that already support these operations. Un- FIRE PREVENTION
til those efforts come to fruition, the technology
continues to prove its worth after the sun goes Firefighters’ roles are increasingly focused on pre-
down and in the absence of crewed air traffic. venting fires rather than simply responding to them.

At night, thermal drones can be used to monitor and The integration of thermal drones into these efforts
track the spread of wildfires, ensuring that, when day is one way to reduce the risk of predictable inci-
breaks, those attending the scene have a current and dents.
accurate picture to work from.
The Los Angeles Fire Department is one of the lead-
During the day when conventional aircraft are un- ing entities in this regard, using thermal drones to
available, the technology can offer cost effective carry out damage assessments and brush manage-
persistence: monitoring crews in the fire area and ment. All of this data is used to create accurate
determining safe routes of escape and any terrain maps of at-risk areas and detailed records of past
hazards that might exist. hotspots.

Page 11 | Thermal Drones

HAZMAT & SEARCH AND RESCUE

Many fire crews assist with the emergency response Thermal imaging can be used to assess the tem-
during search and rescue and hazardous material perature of sensitive chemical storage, to estimate
operations. the contents of chemical containers, and to track
down people under cover of darkness. Used in con-
Drones with standard cameras are now established junction with software tools such as color palettes
tools for supporting these types of operation. The and isotherms, this can be done in a fraction of the
addition of thermal cameras, just as in conventional time when compared with conventional methods.
firefighting, promises to enhance those methods
and further improve safety and efficiency.

Thermal Drones | Page 12

THERMAL DRONES CONTRIBUTE AT EVERY STAGE OF THE FIREFIGHTING PROCESS

Before: Preventative planning, in-

spection and brush management

During: Real-time insights and

resource management

After: Forensic analysis and

damage assessments

THERMAL DRONES: COMMON MISCON-

CEPTIONS

THE TECHNOLOGY IS NOT SOPHISTICATED ANYONE CAN USE THERMAL DRONE TECHNOLO-
ENOUGH GY

Size isn’t everything. DJI’s thermal enterprise Getting the most out of thermal drones requires ex-
drones are highly capable and versatile imaging tensive training and experience.
tools with more than 30 minutes of flight time, dual
visible and thermal cameras, advanced sensing sys- There are many variables in play when remote sens-
tems, and a sophisticated suite of software tools. ing during emergency situations, from environmen-
tal factors to the properties of the objects you’re
These are not toys. In fact, drones have already res- looking at. The operator’s experience and familiari-
cued hundreds of people from peril around the ty with the tools at their disposal is vital for collect-
world. ing useful data.
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Page 13 | Thermal Drones

CASE STUDIES

HOTSPOT DETECTION IN ACTION

At the scene of a 2018 wildfire in Redding, California,

DJI drones were being used to carry out damage as-
sessment. It was only after sending up a thermal
drone that fire crews were able to spot trees that
were still burning - despite appearing to have sur-
vived the fire - along with several hotspots on the
ground that could have led to reignition.

A year before in Santa Rosa, California, thermal

drones were used on a smaller scale to detect
hotspots in the remnants of a burned-out home fol-
lowing a wildfire. The data gathered safely guided a
canine unit into the property to search for the body
of the homeowner.

In both of these examples, the integration of ther-

mal drones enhanced fire crews’ awareness of the
scene, improved safety, and led to resources being
allocated more efficiently.

CHERNOBYL, 2020

In April 2020, devastating fires tore through more

than 40,000 hectares of forest surrounding the
Chernobyl Exclusion Zone in Ukraine. For ten days,
over 1,000 response personnel, 120 fire trucks, sev-
eral crewed aircraft, and a fleet of DJI Mavic 2 Enter-
prise Duals battled the blaze, contained the fire,
and crucially prevented it from spreading to the
remnants of the nuclear plant.

The thermal imaging capabilities of the Mavic 2 En-

terprise Dual allowed emergency teams on the
ground and in the air to coordinate their efforts de-
spite the thick smoke, guiding the deployment of
resources and reducing the time personnel needed
to spend in radioactive areas.

Thermal Drones | Page 14

 FLORIDA, NOVEMBER 2019

In November 2019, the Southern Manatee Fire &

Rescue (SMFR) HazMat Team arrived on the scene of
an anhydrous ammonia leak at a food distribution
warehouse in Florida.

Ordinarily, it was the kind of scenario that would re-

quire multiple trips to and from the scene to discov-
er the exact cause and location of the leak. This
would lead to high equipment costs, extensive
downtime for the business involved, and a greater
chance of dangerous exposure for first responders
on the ground.

However, having pioneered the use of drones in

HazMat response, the SMFR crew quickly launched
a Mavic 2 Enterprise Dual to relay thermal and RBG
video back to the incident commander with a pre-
cise location of the ammonia cloud.

The team was able to determine which valve to shut

down, stop the leak, and get started on decontami-
nation - all in a fraction of the time compared to
conventional methods.

NOTRE DAME, APRIL 2019

In April 2019, a devastating fire broke out inside the

Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris.

Crowds gathered as the city’s firefighters fought to

rescue one of the world’s iconic medieval struc-
tures. Using DJI drones, including a Mavic 2 Pro and
a thermal-equipped Matrice 210, Parisian firefight-
ers were able to better coordinate their efforts,
carefully aim hoses, and track the spread of the fire
from above.

After, French firefighter spokesman Gabriel Plus

said, “It is thanks to these drones, to this new tech-
nique (that’s already) absolutely essential today,
that we could make tactical choices to stop the fire
at a time when it was about to occupy the two bel-
fries.”

Page 15 | Thermal Drones

 DJI’S THERMAL DRONE SOLUTIONS

MAVIC 2 ENTERPRISE ADVANCED

The Mavic 2 Enterprise Advanced is a lightweight,

portable and foldable drone with a thermal sensor
and a zoom camera.
MAVIC 2 ENTERPRISE ADVANCED

• Portable and quick-to-deploy • 10 m/s wind resistance

• Spotlight, loudspeaker, beacon, • 10 km maximum range (FCC)
and RTK accessories available • 1/2” CMOS (42 MP) RGB sensor
• 31 minutes of flight time • 640x512p thermal sensor
• 899 g

MATRICE 300 RTK + ZENMUSE H20T

The new Matrice 300 RTK is DJI’s latest enterprise

platform, with up to 55 minutes of flight time, omni-
directional sense and avoid technology, and unri-
valled reliability. Its H20T triple payload combines
an RGB camera with a 640x512p thermal sensor
MATRICE 300 RTK and a laser rangefinder.

• Triple payload • IP45 (drone) + IP44 (payload)

• ~ 43 minutes flight time • 15 km maximum range
• Hot-swappable batteries & battery station • 1/1.7” CMOS (20 MP) RGB sensor
• 7.1kg • 640x512p thermal sensor
• 15 m/s wind resistance (FCC) • Laser range finder

Thermal Drones | Page 16

 MATRICE 210 V2 + ZENMUSE XT2

The Matrice 210 V2 is a rugged, adaptable solution

that’s ideal for public safety applications. emergen-
cy services. It’s compatible with a number of DJI
Payloads, including the Zenmuse XT2, our powerful
4K and thermal imaging dual-sensor payload.
MATRICE 210 V2

• Dual payload • IP43 (drone) + IP44 (payload)

• ~ 30 minutes flight time • 8 km range (FCC)
• 5.3kg • 1/1.7” CMOS (12 MP) RGB sensor
• 12 m/s wind resistance • 640x512p thermal sensor

THERMAL SOFTWARE TOOLS

MSX – Multispectral Dynamic Imaging:

Quickly interpret data with details from
the visual image overlaid on the thermal
data stream.

QuickTrack: Select an object to lock the

payload onto it and simplify missions in
complex environments.

HeatTrack: Capture the most critical in-

formation by automatically locking the
payload onto the hottest object in view.

Page 17 | Thermal Drones

TempAlarm: Don’t miss a thing with in-
stant notifications when object tempera-
tures exceed pre-set parameters.

TempCheck: Tap a point or select an area

for real-time temperature measurements.

Isotherms: Focus on a specific tempera-

ture range to identify what‘s important.

Color Palette: Adjust the colors applied to

the thermal data to easily interpret what‘s
happening.

PiP – Picture in Picture: Optimise how

you view the thermal and visual feeds –
side by side, overlapping and more.

Thermal Drones | Page 18

SETTING UP A DRONE PROGRAM the sky during major incidents. When fighting wild-
fires in particular, their use needs to be carefully co-
INTEGRATING THERMAL DRONES WITH ordinated alongside the use of planes and helicop-
THE FUTURE OF FIREFIGHTING ters.

The case for integrating thermal drones into fire- Thermal drones have come to the fore during night-
fighting operations is compelling. But it’s a compli- time operations and in the absence of crewed air-
cated process. craft, but technological advances in the fields of air
traffic management are needed if they are to be in-
The technology is proven and effective, but its pro- tegrated alongside these conventional fire fighting
liferation isn’t so straightforward. As we have methods.
touched upon, drones represent another aircraft in

There are day-to-day challenges for fire chiefs to tackling a blaze directly, at a time when firefighting
consider, too. Quite rightly, firefighters are stan- budgets have been scaled down, is a significant
dards and process-driven. Every tool has a purpose challenge to overcome.
and every action during an emergency response
needs to be justified. Many of the solutions to these challenges lie in col-
laborative software tools and advances in AI and
Crews will need to think carefully about how ther- autonomous solutions, but this conundrum also
mal drones can fit into their workflows and comple- opens the door to greater cooperation between
ment traditional firefighting tactics, as well as how public safety organisations - particularly during
the information gathered can get to where it needs large-scale emergencies.
to be, fast.
Effectively integrating these novel solutions into ex-
Training is vital to get the best out of drones and isting workflows is perhaps the single greatest chal-
thermal imaging technology. But the prospect of lenge to overcome when launching a drone pro-
having a firefighter behind the controls rather than gram.

Page 19 | Thermal Drones

For any public safety body determined to gather ing and developing solutions to the regulatory hur
data, improve situational awareness, and make dles that come with operating flying robots.
life-saving interventions with drones, navigating the
early steps will feel like flying into uncharted territory. For a step-by-step guide to planning, managing,
and scaling out your drone ambitions, download
There’s plenty to think about, from personnel train our Building a Drone Program Playbook.
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QEP PROGRAM - CONDUCT PUBLIC

SAFETY MISSIONS WITHOUT
GEOFENCING RESTRICTIONS
We’re committed to supporting national, regional
and local public safety agencies in the use of our
products.

DJI’s Qualified Entities Program (QEP) aims to mini-

mise operational restrictions for our public safety
partners. Most commercial and enthusiast users fly
with our geofencing technology, which places limits
on altitude and flights in No-Fly Zones (NFZ).

We recognise that public safety organisations need

greater flexibility to deploy their aircraft anytime, at
any height, and anywhere. The QEP process unlocks
NFZs in the country of your jurisdiction and gives
greater control over altitude restrictions.

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Thermal Drones | Page 20

CONCLUSION safer working conditions in a perilous profession.
Embracing aerial intelligence has profound benefits
THE VALUE OF THERMAL DRONES in the long term: lives saved, injuries prevented,
damage avoided, and tragedies averted.
The scenarios faced by firefighting services around
the world vary. But one constant is the need to re- From detecting invisible hotspots and preventing
duce costs while finding efficiency gains. With tight secondary fires to gathering wildfire data at night,
budgets and the threat - in the case of wildfires - in- these sophisticated tools represent the most revo-
creasing in scope, tools and solutions that promote lutionary firefighting aid since the introduction of
safety, speed, and efficiency can make a huge im- the firehose. For decades, no emerging technology
pact. has improved firefighter and civilian safety to this
degree.
As an affordable force multiplier, thermal drones
have enormous potential to improve ROI. The tech- Thermal drones offer efficiency gains and cost sav-
nology enables smarter and safer operational deci- ings wherever they are used, from preventative
sions, provides objectivity where previously there data gathering to resource deployment, to ensuring
has been guesswork, reduces time on scene, and in scenes are safe before emergency teams depart.
turn frees crews to attend to other emergencies.
Adopting thermal drones isn’t without its challeng-
During any operation, firefighters are expending re- es. Getting the most out of this innovative technolo-
sources in one place that can’t be deployed to an- gy requires training, adapted operating procedures,
other. By streamlining efforts on scene and tackling and a willingness to evolve. But the evidence in fa-
fires more effectively, those savings translate to vour is compelling.
shorter response times.
The question facing fire chiefs is no longer whether
But most importantly, the use of thermal drones to invest in these verifiable tools. It’s why haven’t
mitigates risk. Less time spent battling fires means you done so already?
less chance of injury in the line of duty. It means

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