General News
9 June, 2026
Drones to bolster CFA’s firefighting ability
CFA have completed a 12 month drone trial finding they help volunteer firefighters efforts.
Drones have proven their ability to support firefighting efforts, according to the CFA, following a recent 12-month trial.
The CFA began the Remote Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) drone trial a year ago seeing use at firegrounds across the state.
It was hosted at Rowville and Edithvale brigades, with volunteer pilots, to see how drones could improve firefighting intelligence from above.
They were used in a range of emergency situations including identifying hot spots, hazmats, rope rescue and urban search and rescue, aerial thermal imaging, impact assessment, fire investigation and searches.
A demonstration of the trial was held locally last month at the Carisbrook Emergency Preparation Expo.
Baxter fire brigade’s Angus Mair, a drone pilot and CFA stalwart of over 50 years, said the drones helped volunteer firefighters.
He said they were used for haystack fires to identify hot spots, where the fire could reignite from underground, saving crews time searching on foot.
Mr Mair also said they were used to help keep volunteer firefighters safe because they can explore damaged buildings that aren’t structurally sound.
“I can see the program expanding right across the state as soon as we get funding,” he said.
Earlier this year at a bushfire at Rhyll on Phillip Island, on the edge of the Koala Conservation Reserve, the drone showed firefighters standing above a hot spot.
The drone crew informed the firefighters who started raking and watering down the site.
The Incident Controller Damien O’Connor said, thanks to their eyes in the sky, they got a better understanding of the fireground finding several hot spots outside the main fire.
“This prevented the fire restarting in unburnt land and gave us the confidence to leave the fireground knowing our suppression techniques were successful,” he said.
“These hot spots were identified at night, and we were able to guide crews to their location through the use of the drone spotlight as well as by radio communications watching the image on the screen.
“I have no doubt the use of the RPAS program at this incident not only saved the local brigades many hours and potential outbreaks, it also ensured the conservation of the Koala program and its continual success to limit the spread of the fire.”
Rowville Fire Brigade Captain and RPAS pilot Cien Pereira said she’s keen to see drones more widely used by the CFA.
“Drones provide incredible intelligence and there are long term benefits of where this program can go,” she said.
“RPAS provides more accurate, more up to date information and intelligence for better decision making, so this makes everything safer for both the community and our firefighters.”
CFA Commander and Manager of Aviation John Katakouzinos AFSM said the program was a success and hopes to roll it out further going forward.
“We’ve got 21 highly trained drone pilots at the moment who have been responding to a range of incidents across the state, particularly over summer,” he said.
“The varying capabilities such as still images, 4K video, HD video, optical zoom and thermal imaging provide invaluable insights to our incident controllers and firefighters.
“The RPAS program is a remarkable asset to CFA now and into the future.”