UAS are an excellent tool for gaining an aerial perspective of an event. For instance, firefighters and investigators on the ground can only see at ground level from outside a burning building and have difficulty seeing other parts of the fire. When using the UAS from above, live updates can give responders a better view and understanding of what is happening and how to put out the fire. Different views can also help determine the source or cause of a fire, especially in large fires like a grass or forest fire.
Similarly, during a search for a missing person, it would take a group of first responders a long time to individually check areas for a person. With the UAS, the operator can fly over and search larger areas in a short amount of time. It also allows the operator to see down into difficult to access terrain, or tall vegetation like corn fields.
During natural disasters, such as floods or tornadoes, UAS have been used to survey large areas to better direct first responders to locating hazards quickly which would take much longer for individuals on the ground to do.
With thermal imaging, a UAS can interpret heat signatures in live images, even during hours of darkness or in dense vegetation like farm fields. This capability helps first responders locate persons who are normally concealed from view.
