The Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune Fire and Emergency Services Division is using small unmanned aircraft systems to provide aerial information during fire and emergency response operations, the Marine Corps said.
The program began in 2024 and incorporates drone technology into wildfire response and other emergency operations. The systems provide visual and thermal imaging to help responders assess fire conditions, identify hazards, and determine where to place personnel and equipment.
"The primary benefit is reducing exposure during reconnaissance," said Douglas Ackley, a firefighter with the division. "A drone can provide information about a hazardous or difficult-to-access area before personnel are committed solely to determine what is happening there."
During active wildfire response, drone crews provide observations on fire boundaries, developing fires, heat concentrations, and fire activity near roads and structures. Thermal imaging also helps responders locate residual heat during cleanup, while aerial observation shows how a fire relates to surrounding terrain and response efforts.
The capability supplements ground observations and established firefighter safety procedures rather than replacing them. The program may be expanded to support future emergency response missions, including missing-person searches, hazardous materials reconnaissance, and storm-damage assessments.
"The long-term value is building an aerial response capability that can adapt as emergency response needs and technology change," said Graham Hopkins, the base small UAS specialist and program manager.