Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Toolkit

The IAFC created a task force to evaluate the current state of unmanned aerial systems UAS policy, procedures, tactics and technology as they impact the fire and emergency service, and provide leadership and subject matter experts for fire and EMS departments interested in implementing a UAS program.

Considerations & Resources

UAS Regulatory/Ops

The basics on FAA regulatory and operational considerations

UAS
Technology

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UAS Technology & Research

An introduction to some of the players in UAS technology and operations development

Technology
UAS

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Featured Active Shooter Toolkit
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Active Shooter
Communications
Frequency Coordination
Interoperability
Narrowbanding
Public Safety Broadband Network
Department Administration
Community Relations
Customer Service
Marketing & Media
Politics
Crisis Communication
Data & Analysis
Economic Environment
Finance
Budgeting
Fundraising
Legal Issues
Human Resources
Insurance
Recruitment2
Retention2
Volunteer/Career Relations
Information Technology
LODD, PSOB & Ceremonies
Strategic Planning
Strategy
EMS
Epidemics/Emerging Diseases
COVID-19
Fire-based & Private EMS
Firefighter Rehab
Fire Prevention
(Lightweight) Construction
Alarms and Detectors
Building Codes
Extinguishers
Fire Inspections
Low Frequency Alarms
Public Education
Sprinklers
Government Relations
Affordable Care Act
Grants
State Legislation, Regulations
Hazmat
Lithium Battery
Transport Air
Transport Highway
Transport Pipeline
Transport Rail
Transport Water
Human Relations, Diversity & Inclusion
IAFC Info/News
Awards
Membership
Positions
IAFC Partnerships
Govt
Industry
Organizational
Large-Scale Response
Homeland Security/Terrorism
Mutual Aid
Natural Disasters
Hurricanes
National
state: Florida
state: Georgia
state: Louisiana
state: Mississippi
state: North Carolina
state: South Carolina
state: Texas
state: Virginia
Leadership
Ethics
Generational Differences
Leadership Styles
Motivating People
Learn & Develop
Education
Mentoring
Professional Development
Training, Capabilities & Competencies
Operations
Fire Behavior
Tech Rescue
Technology
UAS
Personnel
Insurance
Labor/Management Relations
Legal Issues
Recruitment2
Retention2
Volunteer/Career Relations
Protected content
Research
Safety & Health
Health
Safety
Wellness
Traffic Safety
Volunteer
Recruitment
Retention
Wildland
Fire-Adapted
Policy
Resilient Landscapes
Suppression
3_Groups
Bugle ptnr 3
Bugle ptnr 4
Bugle ptnr 5
Cardiac TK org supporters
COVID Vaccine Comments
FDX
HFC LEPC
Professional Development Committee
Leadership
Management
Other
Professional Development
Self Help
Project - Whole Community
Project ALERT
Project FSTAR
Project HFC
Project VWS
Project: NFIRS
Project: Opioid
Project: PERC
Project: SafeQuickClear
Section COS
Section EFO
Section EMS
Heart Safe Community Award
James O. Page Award
Section EVMS
Section FedMil
Section FLSS
Section Industrial
Section SHS
Section VCOS
Tech Council
USR Committee
USR Purpose
vcos17

UAS Policy

Constructing policies that address usage

UAS
Technology

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Featured Active Shooter Toolkit
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Featured Conf & Events
Featured Department Administration
Featured EMS
Featured FDX Blog
Featured FDX home
Featured FDX Resource
Featured Fire Prevention
Featured Grant News
Featured Hazmat
Featured HFC home
Featured HFC Training & Resources
Featured HFC Transport & Commods
Featured Home (IAFC)
Featured Hurricanes
Featured iChiefs
Featured iChiefs List
Featured Large Scale Response
Featured Latest (IAFC)
Featured Leadership
Featured Learn & Develop
Featured Learn & Develop Courses & Training
Featured Legislative News
Featured Lithium Battery
Featured Opioid, Stimulant & Substance Abuse
Featured PDC Reading Recommendations
Featured Personnel
Featured Press Releases
Featured Research
Featured Safety & Health
Featured Smart Alarm Choices
Featured Tools & Topics
Featured Traffic Safety
Featured Volunteer
Featured Wildland
Featured Fire Adapted
Featured Resilient Landscapes
Featured Supression
Featured Wildland Policy
Featured WS A-RIT
featured-vws-a-rit
2_Topics
Active Shooter
Communications
Frequency Coordination
Interoperability
Narrowbanding
Public Safety Broadband Network
Department Administration
Community Relations
Customer Service
Marketing & Media
Politics
Crisis Communication
Data & Analysis
Economic Environment
Finance
Budgeting
Fundraising
Legal Issues
Human Resources
Insurance
Recruitment2
Retention2
Volunteer/Career Relations
Information Technology
LODD, PSOB & Ceremonies
Strategic Planning
Strategy
EMS
Epidemics/Emerging Diseases
COVID-19
Fire-based & Private EMS
Firefighter Rehab
Fire Prevention
(Lightweight) Construction
Alarms and Detectors
Building Codes
Extinguishers
Fire Inspections
Low Frequency Alarms
Public Education
Sprinklers
Government Relations
Affordable Care Act
Grants
State Legislation, Regulations
Hazmat
Lithium Battery
Transport Air
Transport Highway
Transport Pipeline
Transport Rail
Transport Water
Human Relations, Diversity & Inclusion
IAFC Info/News
Awards
Membership
Positions
IAFC Partnerships
Govt
Industry
Organizational
Large-Scale Response
Homeland Security/Terrorism
Mutual Aid
Natural Disasters
Hurricanes
National
state: Florida
state: Georgia
state: Louisiana
state: Mississippi
state: North Carolina
state: South Carolina
state: Texas
state: Virginia
Leadership
Ethics
Generational Differences
Leadership Styles
Motivating People
Learn & Develop
Education
Mentoring
Professional Development
Training, Capabilities & Competencies
Operations
Fire Behavior
Tech Rescue
Technology
UAS
Personnel
Insurance
Labor/Management Relations
Legal Issues
Recruitment2
Retention2
Volunteer/Career Relations
Protected content
Research
Safety & Health
Health
Safety
Wellness
Traffic Safety
Volunteer
Recruitment
Retention
Wildland
Fire-Adapted
Policy
Resilient Landscapes
Suppression
3_Groups
Bugle ptnr 3
Bugle ptnr 4
Bugle ptnr 5
Cardiac TK org supporters
COVID Vaccine Comments
FDX
HFC LEPC
Professional Development Committee
Leadership
Management
Other
Professional Development
Self Help
Project - Whole Community
Project ALERT
Project FSTAR
Project HFC
Project VWS
Project: NFIRS
Project: Opioid
Project: PERC
Project: SafeQuickClear
Section COS
Section EFO
Section EMS
Heart Safe Community Award
James O. Page Award
Section EVMS
Section FedMil
Section FLSS
Section Industrial
Section SHS
Section VCOS
Tech Council
USR Committee
USR Purpose
vcos17

UAS Tactics

Operational abilities for unmanned aerial systems (UAS)

UAS
Technology

{{Title}} Remove

No categories have been created yet.

1_Featured
Featured Active Shooter Toolkit
Featured Blog
Featured Communications & Technology
Featured Conf & Events
Featured Department Administration
Featured EMS
Featured FDX Blog
Featured FDX home
Featured FDX Resource
Featured Fire Prevention
Featured Grant News
Featured Hazmat
Featured HFC home
Featured HFC Training & Resources
Featured HFC Transport & Commods
Featured Home (IAFC)
Featured Hurricanes
Featured iChiefs
Featured iChiefs List
Featured Large Scale Response
Featured Latest (IAFC)
Featured Leadership
Featured Learn & Develop
Featured Learn & Develop Courses & Training
Featured Legislative News
Featured Lithium Battery
Featured Opioid, Stimulant & Substance Abuse
Featured PDC Reading Recommendations
Featured Personnel
Featured Press Releases
Featured Research
Featured Safety & Health
Featured Smart Alarm Choices
Featured Tools & Topics
Featured Traffic Safety
Featured Volunteer
Featured Wildland
Featured Fire Adapted
Featured Resilient Landscapes
Featured Supression
Featured Wildland Policy
Featured WS A-RIT
featured-vws-a-rit
2_Topics
Active Shooter
Communications
Frequency Coordination
Interoperability
Narrowbanding
Public Safety Broadband Network
Department Administration
Community Relations
Customer Service
Marketing & Media
Politics
Crisis Communication
Data & Analysis
Economic Environment
Finance
Budgeting
Fundraising
Legal Issues
Human Resources
Insurance
Recruitment2
Retention2
Volunteer/Career Relations
Information Technology
LODD, PSOB & Ceremonies
Strategic Planning
Strategy
EMS
Epidemics/Emerging Diseases
COVID-19
Fire-based & Private EMS
Firefighter Rehab
Fire Prevention
(Lightweight) Construction
Alarms and Detectors
Building Codes
Extinguishers
Fire Inspections
Low Frequency Alarms
Public Education
Sprinklers
Government Relations
Affordable Care Act
Grants
State Legislation, Regulations
Hazmat
Lithium Battery
Transport Air
Transport Highway
Transport Pipeline
Transport Rail
Transport Water
Human Relations, Diversity & Inclusion
IAFC Info/News
Awards
Membership
Positions
IAFC Partnerships
Govt
Industry
Organizational
Large-Scale Response
Homeland Security/Terrorism
Mutual Aid
Natural Disasters
Hurricanes
National
state: Florida
state: Georgia
state: Louisiana
state: Mississippi
state: North Carolina
state: South Carolina
state: Texas
state: Virginia
Leadership
Ethics
Generational Differences
Leadership Styles
Motivating People
Learn & Develop
Education
Mentoring
Professional Development
Training, Capabilities & Competencies
Operations
Fire Behavior
Tech Rescue
Technology
UAS
Personnel
Insurance
Labor/Management Relations
Legal Issues
Recruitment2
Retention2
Volunteer/Career Relations
Protected content
Research
Safety & Health
Health
Safety
Wellness
Traffic Safety
Volunteer
Recruitment
Retention
Wildland
Fire-Adapted
Policy
Resilient Landscapes
Suppression
3_Groups
Bugle ptnr 3
Bugle ptnr 4
Bugle ptnr 5
Cardiac TK org supporters
COVID Vaccine Comments
FDX
HFC LEPC
Professional Development Committee
Leadership
Management
Other
Professional Development
Self Help
Project - Whole Community
Project ALERT
Project FSTAR
Project HFC
Project VWS
Project: NFIRS
Project: Opioid
Project: PERC
Project: SafeQuickClear
Section COS
Section EFO
Section EMS
Heart Safe Community Award
James O. Page Award
Section EVMS
Section FedMil
Section FLSS
Section Industrial
Section SHS
Section VCOS
Tech Council
USR Committee
USR Purpose
vcos17

About

As unmanned aerial systems (UAS) become increasingly popular and affordable, their public safety applications make them an attractive option for law and fire rescue agencies. Public safety agencies are exploring many uses, including:

Search and rescue tracking
Monitoring the hazardous release of chemicals
Scene reconstruction and more

While there are technological and operational advantages of unmanned aircraft systems, the rapid rate at which its technology is expanding has created regulation, procedure and policy challenges.

This website provides a starting point for fire and emergency service agencies interested in using UAS. This is a rapidly evolving technology and this information will be updated as the environment changes.

Meet the Task Force

G. Keith Bryant, U.S. Fire Administrator
Task Force Chair

Tim Butters, Retired Fire Chief

Richard Davis, Austin Fire Department
Additional SME

Otto Drozd, Orange County Fire Rescue
Metro Chiefs

Greggory Favre, St. Louis Fire Department
IAFC Terrorism & Homeland Security Committee

Justin Green, Loudoun County Fire and Rescue
IAFC Wildland Fire Policy Committee

Darryl Kerley, Oak Ridge Fire Department
IAFC SHS Section

Charles MacFarland, City of San Diego Fire-Rescue Department
Additional SME

Gary McCarraher, Franklin Fire Department
IAFC Communications Committee

John Mohler, Bloomfield Fire Department
IAFC VCOS

Bob Royall, Harris County Fire Marshal's Office
IAFC Hazmat Committee

Mark Wendelsdorf, Caldwell Fire and Rescue Department
IAFC Board of Directors

Contact

Richard Miller, IAFC UAS Staff Liaison
rmiller@iafc.org
703-537-4846

Technology News

IAFC Testifies About Emergency Responders' Use of Drones

May 22, 2024
IAFC Partners with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Partners for UAS Training

January 25, 2018
Unmanned Aerial Systems: Potential Meets Reality

December 2017