Drones Used to Assess L.A. Wildfire Damage, Look For Hot Spots
For the first time, the Los Angeles Fire Department used drones Thursday to help coordinate its battle against a pair of wildfires threatening homes in the city.
For the first time, the Los Angeles Fire Department used drones Thursday to help coordinate its battle against a pair of wildfires threatening homes in the city, reports the Los Angeles Daily News.
LAFD Chief Ralph Terrazas said early Thursday that drones will be used "for the first time ever," primarily to conduct property assessment as the agency surveys damage caused by the Creek fire near Sylmar and the Skirball fire in the Bel-Air and Sepulveda Pass.
"We also can look for hotspots," Terrazas said. "The drone will fly over, locate hotspots, and then we'll dispatch our firefighters to get final extinguishment in that area. So we're very, very proud of that new technology."
LAFD Public Information Officer Peter Sanders said Thursday evening that fire personnel flew two UAVs for 30 minutes into a canyon from the north end of Moraga.
"It was the first time we used them in a real scenario. We did aerial damage assessments and found some hot spots," Sanders said.
The operation was highly coordinated by the department to avoid becoming a threat to water-dropping helicopters.
More Technology
North Miami Police Department Deploys Mark43
The North Miami Police Department has deployed Mark43 as part of its Five-Year Strategic Plan that represents its collective vision and goals for a more proactive police department, anchored by a core commitment to leveraging modern technology to enhance efficiency and public safety.
Read More →
Cellebrite Genesis for Enterprise Now Generally Available
Made available to the public sector in June, Cellebrite Genesis is serving a growing mix of national, regional, and local agencies worldwide, including some of the largest regional and metropolitan police departments. It is now available for enterprise organizations.
Read More →
2026 Vision FirstNet Users Summit to Host Emerging Leaders Training on Grassroots Advocacy for Public Safety
“Emerging Leaders Training: Understanding the Importance of Grassroots Advocacy for Public Safety," a session during the 2026 Vision FirstNet Users Summit, will offer a roadmap for unified advocacy at the federal level.
Read More →
Motorola Solutions Completes Acquisition of D-Fend Solutions
Motorola Solutions has acquired D-Fend Solutions, an industry leader in counter-drone technology. This deal provides public safety and enterprise customers with access to advanced counter-unmanned aerial systems.
Read More →
ZeroEyes, Advantech & Camden Police Partner to Bring AI Gun Detection Technology to Delaware School District
ZeroEyes has partnered with Advantech and the Camden Police Department to deploy ZeroEyes’ AI gun detection and intelligent situational awareness platform at Delaware’s Caesar Rodney School District (CRSD).
Read More →
Leonardo U.S. Cyber & Security Solutions Introduces SignalTrace, the Next Evolution in Electronic Signature Detection Technology
SignalTrace reflects years of product refinement and a clearer expression of the technology’s purpose of recognizing and correlating electronic signatures in publicly broadcast wireless signals to reveal patterns, relationships, and trends that might otherwise go undetected.
Read More →
Pimloc Launches Secure File Sharing to Streamline Release of Redacted Video
Pimloc’s Secure File Sharing lets organizations deliver redacted video, audio, and documents through expiring, passcode-protected links, accelerating delivery while reducing security, compliance, and chain-of-custody risks.
Read More →
2026 Vision FirstNet Users Summit to Explore How FirstNet Fusion and LMR Are Redefining Mission-Critical Communications
One of the sessions at the 2026 Vision FirstNet Users Summit will highlight hybrid devices bridging broadband and LMR. “Bridging Broadband and LMR: FirstNet Fusion and the Rise of Hybrid Devices” will explore how public safety agencies can modernize their communications environments while maintaining the reliability of land mobile radio.
Read More →
Cellebrite Expands Exclusive SkySafe Partnership to Deliver Immediate Drone Detection and Airspace Intelligence for Digital Investigations at Scale
By integrating SkySafe's drone detection and airspace intelligence with Cellebrite's platform, agencies can connect real-time and historical UAV flight data with mobile forensic evidence, all in one place.
Read More →
New DroneShield Report Reveals Serious Gaps in Airport, Critical Infrastructure Counter-Drone Security
Survey results, as part of “Airspace Under Pressure: A Global Assessment of Counter-UAS Readiness Across Airports and Critical Infrastructure,” indicate that 60% of organizations say they lack legal authority to act against unauthorized drones.
Read More →