Unmanned aircraft systems — a fancy way of saying “drones” — obviously will be a big help in the aftermath of emergencies and natural disasters going forward. Just how? That’s what a planned exercise Wednesday in South Jersey will help determine.
Emergency management officials, industry and regulators will conduct a daylong boots-on-the-ground, drones-in-the-skies exercise to help establish protocols for the use of drones in emergency response immediately after a hurricane.
Currently, drones are not permitted to fly in airspace emptied by the Federal Aviation Administration for an emergency, even though small aircraft can reach areas that traditional first responder vehicles and equipment cannot readily access.
The project purpose is to enable southern New Jersey emergency responders to gain quicker access to the skies after the hurricanes that periodically create danger and damage in the state, particularly in coastal areas.