Drones Over California Wildfires (Please Stop)!!!

[Skywatcher2001]

This just has to stop . . .

California police rip drone pilot as device gets in way of wildfire relief efforts

Police in California are ripping the person responsible for flying a photography drone over a fast-growing wildfire, saying the device’s flight path created a “dangerous situation” by getting in the way of crews working to contain the blaze.

www.foxnews.com

 

[45er]

Wow, it's hard to believe that someone would fly their drone so low as to get in the way of firefighting activities unless it interfered with aerial dispersal of fire retardant from an aircraft. Since lettuce allegedly contains carcinogens that must be reported to consumers in California, I guess anything's possible there.

 

[Skywatcher2001]

I'm sure there are regulations on 'just how close ' you can fly to a wildfire since it's (probably) Class G airspace, but not this close! Maybe BigAl07 can give us some insight regarding this . . .

 

[Thomas B]

Since this type of thing is an official emergency just stay away.
I lived in middle of the largest stand of ponderosa pine in the U.S. for 15 years and when you see the wildfire topping the ridge closest to your home you don’t want anything interfering with BLM firefighting efforts. I watched the Dude Fire get within 10 miles of my home and the Rodeo-Chedeski Fire burning across my only exit route.
It is life threatening to interfere with firefighting efforts!
just watch news clips and let the professionals do their job.

 

[Deleted member 3792]

Only done by irresponsible unmature idiots.

 

[Skywatcher2001]

Since this type of thing is an official emergency just stay away.
I lived in middle of the largest stand of ponderosa pine in the U.S. for 15 years and when you see the wildfire topping the ridge closest to your home you don’t want anything interfering with BLM firefighting efforts. I watched the Dude Fire get within 10 miles of my home and the Rodeo-Chedeski Fire burning across my only exit route.
It is life threatening to interfere with firefighting efforts!
just watch news clips and let the professionals do their job.

There is the San Bernardino Fire burning about 15 miles from where I fly. I can see it clearly (and it's still too close). I have no desire to photograph it or endanger lives by flying thru it. The infatuation with photographing the destruction of wildfires escapes me . . .

 

[AMann]

I'm sure there are regulations on 'just how close ' you can fly to a wildfire since it's (probably) Class G airspace, but not this close! Maybe BigAl07 can give us some insight regarding this . . .

The person doing this is also risking losing their drone. FAA quickly creates NFZ areas around fires when requested, which may ground your drone and cause it to auto land straight down if it’s still in the air and you happen to have wireless data turned on for the App when that happens and you won’t be able to override it. Too bad if the guy was over the fire when that happened!

 

[Thomas B]

The person doing this is also risking losing their drone. FAA quickly creates NFZ areas around fires when requested, which may ground your drone and cause it to auto land straight down if it’s still in the air when that happens and you won’t be able to override it. Too bad if the guy was over the fire when that happened!

Or over a fire fighter!

 

[RayOZ]

I think from the point of view of the drone operator, they want to take pictures of the fire, just as photographers/journalist on the ground are taking pictures. Look at all the photos on that article. Someone will want their own photos, from a different view. And if it wasn't illegal, you would expect media organisations would be looking to buy those photos.
People are so used to taking pictures of everything and posting on social media; breakfast, lunch, different angles of their face 50x a day. Sad, but not surprising when people are becoming more narcissistic, and never think beyond what they want.
Depending on where and how high that drone is, I don't understand why firefighters need to stop their work. I doubt the drone would be right above the flames (the heat and updraft would've melted the drone), and firefighting planes are flying over the flames to try to put them out. And if the drone was really over the fire and the planes dump fire-retardant on the drone, it's not really a problem.

 

[AMann]

I think from the point of view of the drone operator, they want to take pictures of the fire, just as photographers/journalist on the ground are taking pictures. Look at all the photos on that article. Someone will want their own photos, from a different view. And if it wasn't illegal, you would expect media organisations would be looking to buy those photos.
People are so used to taking pictures of everything and posting on social media; breakfast, lunch, different angles of their face 50x a day. Sad, but not surprising when people are becoming more narcissistic, and never think beyond what they want.
Depending on where and how high that drone is, I don't understand why firefighters need to stop their work. I doubt the drone would be right above the flames (the heat and updraft would've melted the drone), and firefighting planes are flying over the flames to try to put them out. And if the drone was really over the fire and the planes dump fire-retardant on the drone, it's not really a problem.

Even if you are a distance from the fire, how do you know approaching low-flying tankers won’t be clipping it from behind you? They fly low over ridge tops to set up an approach, sometimes from far away, and sometimes cant be heard when doing it. They don’t need additional air traffic they cannot see to worry about.

 

[Thomas B]

I think from the point of view of the drone operator, they want to take pictures of the fire, just as photographers/journalist on the ground are taking pictures. Look at all the photos on that article. Someone will want their own photos, from a different view. And if it wasn't illegal, you would expect media organisations would be looking to buy those photos.
People are so used to taking pictures of everything and posting on social media; breakfast, lunch, different angles of their face 50x a day. Sad, but not surprising when people are becoming more narcissistic, and never think beyond what they want.
Depending on where and how high that drone is, I don't understand why firefighters need to stop their work. I doubt the drone would be right above the flames (the heat and updraft would've melted the drone), and firefighting planes are flying over the flames to try to put them out. And if the drone was really over the fire and the planes dump fire-retardant on the drone, it's not really a problem.

But those planes and helicopters come from many directions after they have a payload of water or fire retardant. Stand by my rec to just stay away. As noted above wildfire areas in the U.S. are designated NFZs anyway. Plus, as alluded to, control of your drone in the updrafts and winds around a fire would be difficult if not impossible in many cases.

 

[AMann]

But those planes and helicopters come from many directions after they have a payload of water or fire retardant. Stand by my rec to just stay away. As noted above wildfire areas in the U.S. are designated NFZs anyway. Plus, as alluded to, control of your drone in the updrafts and winds around a fire would be difficult if not impossible in many cases.

Drones over fires - bad.

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[Skywatcher2001]

The person doing this is also risking losing their drone. FAA quickly creates NFZ areas around fires when requested, which may ground your drone and cause it to auto land straight down if it’s still in the air and you happen to have wireless data turned on for the App when that happens and you won’t be able to override it. Too bad if the guy was over the fire when that happened!

Thanks for that AMann that makes total sense. A TFR or NFZ is a logical step. It would have to be a large area since these fires grow so fast. This is where DJI's geo fencing is worth its headaches.

 

[sar104]

I think from the point of view of the drone operator, they want to take pictures of the fire, just as photographers/journalist on the ground are taking pictures. Look at all the photos on that article. Someone will want their own photos, from a different view. And if it wasn't illegal, you would expect media organisations would be looking to buy those photos.
People are so used to taking pictures of everything and posting on social media; breakfast, lunch, different angles of their face 50x a day. Sad, but not surprising when people are becoming more narcissistic, and never think beyond what they want.
Depending on where and how high that drone is, I don't understand why firefighters need to stop their work. I doubt the drone would be right above the flames (the heat and updraft would've melted the drone), and firefighting planes are flying over the flames to try to put them out. And if the drone was really over the fire and the planes dump fire-retardant on the drone, it's not really a problem.

You don't get to choose how far away is safe - the FAA immediately puts a TFR in place around these fires, and flying in the TFR without agency approval is illegal. In this case the TFR has a radius of 5 nm, and extends from the surface to 9500 ft AMSL.



Emergency TFRs generally make it into the DJI geo system within a day, after which it will show as an authorization zone. That's self-unlockable. Personally I think TFRs should be restricted zones (red) requiring custom unlock or QEP.

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

I'm sure it would be the same in the US as it is here in Australia.
As the video caption in that story stated "California Firefighters unable to fly helicopters due to drones".

We get NFZs pop up around natural disasters like bushfires, car accidents, flooding emergencies etc.
They come up on our air authority official map for drone flyers (OpenSky).

Bushfires are probably one of the most important to keep away from as yes, firebombers whether the big 'Elivs' style or the little single seaters come in very low and fast.
If a drone is seen in the area, they CAN'T operate

Notifications are pretty fast here, but obviously if you are almost like first on scene, it's like any situation with low planes or helis, you land asap and leave the area to avoid getting in the way.

 

[Skywatcher2001]

Thank you sar104 for adding technicality and visualization to the discussion . . . well done.

 

[MaxHam]

Emergency TFRs generally make it into the DJI geo system within a day, after which it will show as an authorization zone. That's self-unlockable. Personally I think TFRs should be restricted zones (red) requiring custom unlock or QEP.

I agree. I'm afraid though most idiots who fly over a fire know the TFR won't get into their system if they fly without having a cell/wifi connection on their device.
Isn't there something coming up with SIM cards being required in drones? In Europe next year, above some certain weight? Not sure.

Here another terrible story about the Maria Fire:
Illegal drones ground water-dropping helicopters at critical moment in Maria fire battle

 

[superstarpup]

Wow, it's hard to believe that someone would fly their drone so low as to get in the way of firefighting activities unless it interfered with aerial dispersal of fire retardant from an aircraft. Since lettuce allegedly contains carcinogens that must be reported to consumers in California, I guess anything's possible there.

 

[Northwich Nomad]

Might be media companies drones!, flown by "professional drone users!!!" who have forgotten their training.

 

[Kelly Dickson]

I live 5 miles from the Maria fire. Because a drone was spotted near the fire, they had to call off 2 fixed wing and 6 helicopter air drops causing the fire to increase in size dramatically. I fly drones but I know not near fires nor emergency sites. Common sense. For all you nay-sayers, if your property was on fire, approaching your house, would you care if a drone flew over and stopped first responders from saving your house? Everyone here in Ventura is now gonna hate ALL drone flyers. Sad because of one idiot who has NO common sense.