Hurricane response “a landmark in the evolution of drone usage”
After the widespread devastation Hurricane Irma wreaked on Florida, unmanned aircraft – more popularly, drones – have been invaluable in supporting response and recovery efforts in the battered Sunshine State.
When Irma’s winds and floodwaters damaged homes, businesses, roadways and industries, a wide variety of agencies sought Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) authorization to fly drones in the affected areas. The FAA quickly issued more than a hundred airspace authorizations for drone operators.