UgCS, a provider of mission planning software for unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), together with public safety and disaster response UAS experts Airborne Response, have developed a comprehensive search capability for drones that will allow remote pilots to more effectively conduct search and rescue operations using the UgCS platform. Continue reading
Category Archives: First Responders
California Air Guard Drone Helps Fight Wild Fires

Air Force Maj. Nicholas Edwards, an intelligence analyst manager with the California Air National Guard’s 195th Airlift Wing, updates leaders from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection on the Carr Fire in Shasta County, Calif., July 30, 2018. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Edward Siguenza
A team from the California Air National Guard‘s 195th Airlift Wing is being used as a reconnaissance and surveillance unit, providing the state’s Department of Forestry and Fire Protection agency with up-to-date intelligence used to battle current wildfires. Continue reading
Solar-Powered Drones to Help Fight Wild Fires
Starting this summer, solar-powered drones from New Mexico will soar above raging wildland blazes to offer a critical eye in the sky to firefighters battling flames below. Continue reading
Nevada and California Agencies Perform Drone-Led Evacuation Drill
Nevada and California agencies are working together to advance drone use in emergency evacuations. On May 19, a first-of-its-kind evacuation drill was performed on the Nevada-California border just north of Lake Tahoe, the Nevada Institute for Autonomous Systems and partners said. Continue reading
US Department of the Interior Awards ‘Call When Needed’ Contracts for sUAS Services
As part of a broader strategy to aggressively combat wildfires, the U.S. Department of the Interior has awarded a Call When Needed contract to four U.S. companies for small-unmanned aircraft systems services. Continue reading
The Future of Search and Rescue
The drone threads its way through the disaster area, beneath ceilings and power lines, through narrow corridors, sewer pipes and hallways. Bodies and survivors lie under rubble. When it’s not feeling its way through tight confines, there’s wind to contend with. Continue reading
Norwegian Technology Improves Emergency Preparedness
Telenor, Andøya Space Center and Robot Aviation are joining forces to develop and test Norwegian unmanned aerial systems in order to improve preparedness in Svalbard. Continue reading
Texas Launches Public Safety UAS Program
The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) announced the launch of a public safety unmanned aerial systems (UAS) program. Continue reading





