APPLICATION OF MULTIPLE CATEGORIES OF UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS (UAS) IN DIFFERENT AIRSPACES FOR BUSHFIRE MONITORING AND RESPONSE

Abstract. Demand and interest in Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) for civilian applications, and advances in technology such as development of sense-and-avoid systems, will soon allow UAS to be flown alongside manned aircrafts in non-segregated airspace. An area that can benefit from the application of UAS is the bushfire services sector. Currently such services rely on watchtowers, fixed-wing manned aircrafts and satellite data for reliable information. UAS are a promising alternative to traditional methods of collecting bushfire data. There are several varieties of UAS and each category has certain limitations, hence a combination of multiple UAS with features appropriate for bushfire emergencies can be used simultaneously for collecting valuable data. This paper will describe the general UAS categories, some characteristics of Australian bushfires, and speculate on how a combination of several UAS operating in different airspaces can be of benefit for bushfire response personnel and firefighters.