Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Idiots with illegal drones interfering with Idaho firefighting flights

Unmanned Aircraft Systems (Drones) seen twice on Pioneer Fire; air operations threatened
BOISE, Idaho, July 28, 2016 -- Fire management officials are concerned that two drones have been reported in the vicinity of the Pioneer Fire, having the potential to disrupt aerial fire suppression operations.

The first incident was reported on July 22, within the fire perimeter, and the second was spotted on July 26, in the heliport operational area near Idaho City. Although aircraft operations were not suspended, air operation officials say such situations could easily do that.

“We cannot operate either helicopters or fixed wing air tankers if there are immediate reports of a drone in the fires proximity and we will immediately terminate operations until the area is cleared,” said Bill Hayes, Incident Management Team 3 Air Operations Branch Director. “Pilots may not see a drone and if they strike one it could down an aircraft or significantly damage one.”

Hayes emphasized the serious nature of these intrusions, noting that on other fires with drone intrusions air operations were suspended, and even in one case shut down for an entire day.

“Air support is a critical part of fire suppression operations and if that is lost, the risk of a fire increasing in size, threatening firefighters or public property significantly increases” Hayes added. “There is no business for a drone to be anywhere near a fire incident.”

The drones were within a Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) area which is put in place around wildfires to protect firefighting operations. No one other than the agencies involved in the firefighting effort can fly any manned or unmanned aircraft in a TFR.

If an operator endangers manned aircraft or people on the ground with an unmanned aircraft, they could be liable for a fine ranging from $1,000 to a maximum of $25,000.

Hayes added that “if you fly, we can’t – keep your drone on the ground and let firefighters and aircraft do their jobs."

For further information regarding drones in a fire suppression area, contact the National Interagency Fire Center at 208-387-5437.

For information regarding air operations on the Pioneer Fire, call the Pioneer Fire Incident Command Post at 208-392-9634.

Be fun to see what 2000 gal. of slurry would do to one of those p o s.

Utah just passed a law that makes it legal for the firefighters to shoot a drone down, if necessary. Or bring it down by other means, which is more likely. Good.

I saw a youtube video a few months ago demonstrating some sort of jamming device that, when pointed at a drone, allowed the jammer to block radio signals to/from the drone and basically bring it down.

Alternatively, there is technology for jamming all cell phone and CB radio signals over an area of several square miles, which I know has been used in some tactical situations here and there in the USA in the past few years.

I would favor a new law requiring drone manufacturers to insert 4 ounces of C4 into the controller unit of every drone. Then firefighters could simply push a button and rid the world of the drone operators, who are arguably of no socially redeeming value anyway...

The jamming "gun" is what I meant above when I said "other means." I think a steep power dive into the fire would be perfect.

Doc

+1 on the C4 idea.

Toys For Deviants bound to result in more loss of freedoms for regular Americans.

Shoot em down or jam their freq's and crash them.

Some states require hunting arrows to be marked with the hunter's name and address. Maybe they should do the same with drones with a huge fine for flying an unmarked one. Then when they have to shoot one down, they know who to go talk to.

Same problem this past week in SoCal Sand Canyon Fire, idiot with drone caused the air drops to be suspended while 18 homes were burning.