Be innovative in fighting bushfires

Comments on Geoffrey Luck “Fire support from air long overdue”, 7/01/2013, http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/opinion/fire-support-from-air-long-overdue/story-e6frgd0x-1226548555748

Leaving using what aircrafts aside for the moment, why don't bushfire fighters use unmanned small scale air craft system to monitor, assess and aid to direct fighting bushfires?

Nowadays, small unmanned aircrafts should be very cost effective, particularly with modern ICT technologies and GPS. They should be used, together with analysis centres using specially developed softwares. Indeed, they can be integrated with both aircrafts and ground fire fighters into a whole of bushfire control system.

Australia is the most bushfire prong country and the costs due to losses each year are very large. We should adopt innovative thinking in how to deal with it most effectively and least costly.

Such an unmanned airborne system for fighting bushfires shouldn't be too difficult or costly to develop and it is high time that we Australians to develop this.


Indeed, households may also benefit from more accurate assessments and be informed on bushfire situations surrounding them and to make the best decisions on whether to leave for lives or stay to protect properties.