无人机助力消防“降火”

Lachlan Leeming

相比人工巡检，无人机巡检范围更大，盲区更小，效率更高。不论是火灾险情的应对，还是人员财产的保护，无人机都更具优势。

The new high⁃tech of firefighting is here, with crews across New South Whales(NSW) getting drones that can fly high above disaster zones and locate people and animals in need of rescue.

The Remotely Piloted Aircraft Sys⁃tems (RPAS) drones, launched as part of a$5.4 million investment by the NSW state government, can detect variable heat tem⁃peratures, identify people or animals under threat and measure the size of an area im⁃pacted by fire.

Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW)Bushfire and Aviation (航空) Unit Com⁃mander Scott Donohoe said the drones could be sent into the air above a fire zone within minutes.“The drones are stored in our vehicles and ready for immediate use,providing FRNSW commanders with aerial(空中的) images that can help determine the safest and most effective places to posi⁃tion fire trucks and crews,”Scott Donohoe said.

NSW Emergency Services Minister Steph Cooke said aside from assessing（评估）bush fire risks, the drones could also be used in operations to reduce forest fuel,such as controlled burning, as well as find⁃ing people missing in dense（稠密的）bushland.“These drones are being placed to 24 regional areas, giving FRNSW crews an eye in the sky to help them better fight fires and keep our communities safe,”Ms Cooke said.

The drones have already been used in the flood⁃hit Northern Rivers region to as⁃sess flood⁃damaged infrastructure, identify dangerous materials and find leftover de⁃bris.

Former state fire chief Greg Mullins has previously warned burnt bush is re⁃growing at twice the normal speed ahead of the upcoming season.

Reading Check

Should this new drone technology be applied to all bush fire and flood⁃affected regions?

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