Noblesville Fire Department adds UAV to its fleet

The Noblesville Fire Department (NFD) has added an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to its fleet. Commonly known as a drone, the UAV provides firefighters with information previously difficult or impossible to achieve.

Photo provided by Noblesville Fire Department

The drone is capable of flight times exceeding 40 minutes per battery set (continuous operations by switching batteries), maximum speed over 51 mph, the ability to fly in wind speeds exceeding 33 mph, and operating between -4 to 122 degrees F. The drone is rated at IP55, so it can be flown in most of Indiana’s weather, including rain, snow, and fog.

The drone records in up to 4K video from three cameras: wide-angle, 200x zoom, and thermal (infrared). Depending on the mission, the drone can also be equipped with a loudspeaker, searchlight, or drop system capable of delivering a variety of items in an emergency (such as a flotation device).

The pilots all possess FAA Remote Pilot licenses (“Part 107”). The drone can be used to provide information on large structures before an incident, quickly identifying the location of a fire from above, search and rescue, structural collapse, water rescue, HAZMAT, fire investigation, and technical rescue. Not only is this information available to the incident commander on scene, but it can also be streamed to a command post off-site to provide more comprehensive situational awareness within seconds of arrival.

The drone will act as a force multiplier for firefighters, allowing them to quickly make better informed decisions to serve our community while increasing firefighter safety. Previously, Hamilton County Fire Departments have partnered with their police departments or the Emergency Management Agency for aerial support.

NFD is thankful to be the first fire department in Hamilton County to organically have a drone available, especially with the technology and safety it will bring to the community. The drone program is an extremely cost-effective way to provide resources previously only available to the largest cities in the United States.

Photo provided by Noblesville Fire Department