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Counter UAS & Aircraft Tracking


Airspace Awareness for Wildland Fires

As the public and private UAS industry expands and flying near wildland fire increases there is a significant increased risk to aviators and aerial fire operations.  

Intrusions over a wildland fire, within a fire traffic area (FTA) or within a temporary flight restriction (TFR), may result in shutting down manned aviation increasing risk to ground firefighters and to the public.

Chart with different layers showing fire traffic area dimensions.

This project involves developing recommendations to coordinate and manage airspace on fire operations that would assist in determining a long-term solution. 

Reducing the known hazard of UAS intrusions by having all aircraft traffic data in one viewer would improve situational awareness of current operations and response to incidents or accidents.  

It's impossible to eliminate the UAS intrusion hazard entirely, but mitigation options would have measurable outcomes.

UAS summary poster of public drone incursions over wildfires in 2020