Eyes in the Sky: How Fire Departments Are Using Drones to Enhance Emergency Response

As emergency incidents become increasingly complex, fire departments are turning to drones to gain critical situational awareness, improve firefighter safety, and make faster, more informed decisions. Join us for an engaging discussion with public safety drone experts and fire service professionals as we explore how unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) are transforming emergency response operations.

This webinar will highlight real-world examples of drone deployments across structure fires, wildland incidents, and search and rescue missions, showcasing how thermal and visual intelligence can provide actionable information when every second counts. Panelists will also discuss how advances in autonomous flight and obstacle avoidance technology are helping reduce pilot workload and improve operational effectiveness in dynamic environments.

Attendees will gain practical insights into building and sustaining a successful drone program, including lessons learned from active fire department drone teams and best practices for scaling operations over time.
Key Topics Include:

Real-world fire service drone operations and lessons learned

Thermal and visual intelligence for structure fires, wildland fires, and search & rescue

How autonomous flight and obstacle avoidance reduce pilot workload

Best practices for starting, scaling, and sustaining a drone program

Operational examples from an active fire department drone team

Live discussion and Q&A with industry and public safety experts

Featured Panelists:

Elliot Long, Public Safety Specialist, Skydio
Fire Department Drone Program Representative, sharing real-world operational experience

Whether you’re evaluating a drone program, expanding existing capabilities, or looking to learn from experienced operators, this session will provide valuable insights into the evolving role of drones in the fire service.