In brief
- Texas and North Carolina are using drones to aid flood response and damage assessment.
- Unauthorized drones in Texas disrupted rescue efforts, triggering FAA no-fly zones.
- Officials warned that only cleared operators should fly during emergencies for safety.
As catastrophic floods ravage central Texas and North Carolina, emergency responders are using professional and military-grade drones with infrared and real-time video to map flood zones, locate stranded victims, and direct rescue teams.
In Texas, MQ-9 Reapers flying 18,000 feet above the impacted area assisted first responders in locating missing victims of the flooding, including those from Camp Mystic, a summer camp where 27 children and counselors lost their lives.
But while drones assist in search and rescue efforts, according to Kerrville, Texas City Manager Dalton Rice, they also pose unintentional hazards.
“We know that people want to volunteer, but what we’re starting to see is personal drones flying,” Rice said during a press conference. “These personal drones are a danger to aircraft, which then risks further operations. We need to keep these personal drones out of the sky. We have drones and assets flying, and we want to continue to do that.”
The situation was so chaotic in Texas that the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration imposed no-fly zones over parts of the state.
“The FAA often implements temporary flight restrictions during emergencies to protect aircraft that are involved in emergency operations,” an FAA spokesperson told Decrypt. “All other aircraft are prohibited from flying in TFRs unless they receive authorization.”
The spokesperson went on to say that first responders and other organizations responding to natural disasters may be eligible for expedited approval to access the airspace through the FAA’s Special Governmental Interest process.
Extreme weather and flooding
Flooding began in Central Texas early Friday after intense overnight rainfall caused rivers—including the Guadalupe—to surge by up to 26 feet in just 45 minutes. Despite flood warnings issued by the National Weather Service a day earlier, the most severe flash flooding struck before sunrise, catching many residents off-guard.
Just two days later, Tropical Depression Chantal made landfall in South Carolina on Sunday, bringing torrential rainfall to Central and Eastern North Carolina throughout the day and into Monday. Flash flooding followed as rivers overflowed and overwhelmed infrastructure.
In both states, drones quickly became vital tools for emergency managers. First responders in North Carolina are also deploying drones for situation awareness and damage assessments. Echoing officials in Texas and North Carolina, authorities warned the public against flying drones while first responders complete search and rescue operations.
“Following an emergency event, those that are not actively engaged in the response efforts should not fly personal drones as airspace deconfliction is a safety concern, especially with manned aircraft operating in the incident area,” a North Carolina Emergency Management spokesperson told Decrypt.
The Texas Game Warden echoed the danger unauthorized drones pose to rescue crews and aircraft, urging the public to stay grounded.
“Please do not fly drones over impacted areas and search operations,” the office of the Texas Game Warden wrote on X. “They interfere with drones being used in search efforts and are a safety risk to other emergency services aircraft. We appreciate your understanding as emergency personnel continue their important work.”
Generally Intelligent Newsletter
A weekly AI journey narrated by Gen, a generative AI model.
