DJI has announced a solution development partnership with the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) to create, test and deploy DJI drone technology as an emergency response and preparedness tool.
The agreement will provide the LAFD with access to technology, training and support to incorporate drone technology into its operations.
“We are excited to be strengthening our partnership with the LAFD, one of the nation’s preeminent public safety agencies, to help them take advantage of DJI’s drone technology that has been purpose-built for the public safety sector,” comments Bill Chen, DJI’s enterprise partnerships manager. “Through our two-way collaboration, DJI will receive valuable insight into the complexities of deploying drones for emergency situations in one of the most complex urban environments in the nation. This insight will allow us to continue to refine and develop new technologies that will allow the LAFD and leading public safety agencies around the world to gain more value from lifesaving drone technology.”
“The LAFD has been working through a pragmatic approach to adopting drone technology for several years, including developing policies and procedures that define clear use-case scenarios and building awareness among the general public about the positive life- and property-saving benefits drone technology can provide to our firefighters in their mission to protect the citizens of Los Angeles,” says Richard Fields, the LAFD’s battalion chief.
To date, the agency has flown over 175 incident-related missions using DJI’s industrial aerial platforms such as the Matrice 200 Series, Matrice 600 Series and Phantom 4 Pro. The drones are equipped with visual and thermal imaging cameras that provide real-time video and data transmission to incident commanders. DJI says its drone technology will continue to be used across a variety of situations, including hot-spot identification and aerial mapping to help manage wildfire response, as well as incident response for water rescues, hazmat operations, and urban search-and-rescue missions.
Fields adds, “Combining advanced drone technology with new software tools will help bridge the gap between helicopters and firefighters on the ground, allowing us to address life-threatening situations faster and more effectively than ever before.”
