Aloha,

     Interesting article in QUARTZ.  Life and sadness on the cutting edge.  Kudos to DJI!

https://qz.com/1596735/firefighters-used-drones-to-tackle-notre-dame-fire/

How French firefighters used drones to tackle the Notre Dame blaze

By

Natasha Frost

April 16, 2019

     The French government has a daunting task ahead. The fire at Notre Dame de Paris destroyed its roof and spire and damaged a 62-foot stained glass window along with one of the world’s largest pipe organs. Priceless stonework was likely weakened by the extreme heat. Repairs will be arduous and expensive.

     Still, the damage might have been much worse, if not for the drones Paris firefighters borrowed from the culture and interior ministries. (The fire brigade does not yet have its own drones capable of working at sufficient heights.)

     Firefighters used two commercial models made by the Chinese manufacturer DJI—the Mavic Pro and Matrice M210—both of which feature thermal cameras. These were used to track how the fire was spreading and trace where the flames may have originated. In turn, as the French newspaper Libération reports, the images were used to work out the most effective way to position fire hoses. The aerial vantage points guided the strategy for tackling the blaze. By contrast, according to the report, a helicopter would have been less flexible and more expensive.

     Ordinarily, flying a DJI drone or quadcopter over central Paris would be blocked by law and technology alike: The manufacturer, in recognition of  government policy, uses geofencing to block flights near airport runways. (Paris le Bourget airport is about nine miles, or about 14km, from the cathedral.) These restrictions seem to have been temporarily unblocked to allow the drones to fly over Notre Dame.

     Speaking to FranceInfo, fire brigade spokesperson Gabriel Plus credited the drones with helping officials make the decisions that in turn saved the cathedral’s two belfries at a critical moment.

     “The drones allowed us to use our available means in the best possible way,” he said. An “extinguisher robot” was also used inside the cathedral, allowing firefighters to put out the flames without putting any lives at risk.

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Aloha and Drone On!

Anything said about drones that is good, we'll take it!

Hello and good day Cetacean. Thank you for sharing these information with us today. It is truly great to know that drones can be use in many great things to help people in many ways. Thank you for your support.

DJI Stephen Posted at 4-18 14:10
Hello and good day Cetacean. Thank you for sharing these information with us today. It is truly great to know that drones can be use in many great things to help people in many ways. Thank you for your support.

Aloha Stephen,

     The article in the AMA Newsletter caught my eye and I had it half loaded for the thread when I thought I better check if it is a DJI drone.  (I read the article as I edit it into the thread.)  I was pretty confident that it would be a DJI drone - but which one.  

     The funny thing is, I am recommending the Mavic 2 Enterprise Dual for the Community Emergency responders in my other thread about last Saturday.  Then to see is use with this terrible fire.

     Mahalo!  

Aloha and Drone On!

Thankfully a "Good News" story involving drones.  Phewww ?
But what a disaster !??  

ALABAMA Posted at 4-18 14:04
Anything said about drones that is good, we'll take it!

Aloha BAMA,

     I will drink to that!

Aloha and Drone On!

Thank you for showing us this. We need so many more stories about the good that drones do.

embayweather Posted at 4-19 04:06
Thank you for showing us this. We need so many more stories about the good that drones do.

I absolutely agree ....

Not trying to put a dampener on it - but its not only the Multi-Rotor (drone) that needs good reports. Like many things in life - its the operator that usually makes all the difference. A good operator - I would assume that Paris fire did not have 'hobby' operators flying them. That in itself makes a huge difference.

What I find interesting is the Geofencing - if the area was NoFly zone - how did they get release so quick ?

I don't think DJI will tell IF they did so - security and all that.

Good read, thanks!!!

solentlife Posted at 4-19 05:22
I absolutely agree ....

Not trying to put a dampener on it - but its not only the Multi-Rotor (drone) that needs good reports. Like many things in life - its the operator that usually makes all the difference. A good operator - I would assume that Paris fire did not have 'hobby' operators flying them. That in itself makes a huge difference.

Since it was borrowed from a branch of gov it may have had the NFZ turned off already........

Great find.  Thanks for posting.

Cetacean Posted at 4-18 21:07
Aloha Stephen,

     The article in the AMA Newsletter caught my eye and I had it half loaded for the thread when I thought I better check if it is a DJI drone.  (I read the article as I edit it into the thread.)  I was pretty confident that it would be a DJI drone - but which one.  

Thank you for the additional information you have shared with us Cetacean. Have a safe and happy flying always. Thank you for your valued support.

EdM Posted at 4-19 07:29
Since it was borrowed from a branch of gov it may have had the NFZ turned off already........

Would not surprise me that FW versions may be available to 'authorised users' where limitations are removed.

Makes sense - DJI are both a Hobbyists and a Professional Users supplier.

Always good to see positive news on drones

A J Posted at 4-19 11:34
Always good to see positive news on drones

Aloha A J,

     Really!  And it could not come at a better time, even if the circumstances are so sad.

Aloha and Drone On!

Cetacean Posted at 4-19 19:45
Aloha A J,

     Really!  And it could not come at a better time, even if the circumstances are so sad.

That's very true

Manxmann Posted at 4-19 01:15
Thankfully a "Good News" story involving drones.  Phewww ?
But what a disaster !??

Aloha Manx,

     Yes, very much so.  Interesting how we, as in the world heritage, can count our blessings in this case.

Aloha and Drone On!

I sometimes feel reluctant to tell folk that I have a hobby flying drones.  Frequently their reaction is common and predictable.  It is therefore easier to keep quiet - sad that it that way.  
We could well do without the minority of peanuts that drag the hobby down.  

Anyway,  as you say - Let's Drone On !  

ManaRam Posted at 4-19 06:15
Good read, thanks!!!

Aloha Mana,

     Mahalo!

Aloha and Drone On!

I found it interesting that French emergency services would use UAVs from a Chinese company such as DJI over a French company such as Autel.  Also, the fact that any UAVs operated by emergency services would be subject to NFZs and geofencing is just Wrong on so many levels.  
I also read several reports hyping the fact that one of the RPICs was a woman.  So what?  Why should which genitals you have make any difference in piloting a UAV?  It's just cringy as heck when they do that.

Thanks for sharing

Cellblock776 Posted at 4-21 03:57
I found it interesting that French emergency services would use UAVs from a Chinese company such as DJI over a French company such as Autel.  Also, the fact that any UAVs operated by emergency services would be subject to NFZs and geofencing is just Wrong on so many levels.  
I also read several reports hyping the fact that one of the RPICs was a woman.  So what?  Why should which genitals you have make any difference in piloting a UAV?  It's just cringy as heck when they do that.

Aloha Cb,

     Notre Dame is in the middle of a NFZ - the cultural center of Paris.  There are no airports there.  The Culture and Interior Ministries apparently use the drones in that cultural center on a regular basis and so have "built-in" clearance for the NFZ.  The author of the article does not appear to be fully up-to-date on the NFZ properties of cultural areas which usually include large numbers of people - tourists.  The airport did not figure into the NFZ calculation as noted in the article.  

     If both drones had thermal cameras, then the Mavic was the Mavic 2 Enterprise Dual and not the Mavic Pro as noted.  An easy mistake to make.  Do you know if there are Autel drones with thermal cameras being used by the Culture and Interior Ministries at the time of the fire or any other French government entity?  Since the Fire Department did not have their own drones, maybe they will get some Autel drones in the future if they are a better deal than the DJI products used.  

     It does appear that the DJI drones from the Culture and Interior Ministries were exempt from the geofencing as was your concern.  You may want to look into the DJI Enterprise products.  They are very interesting.  This new technology is amazing.

Aloha and Drone On!

solentlife Posted at 4-19 05:22
I absolutely agree ....

Not trying to put a dampener on it - but its not only the Multi-Rotor (drone) that needs good reports. Like many things in life - its the operator that usually makes all the difference. A good operator - I would assume that Paris fire did not have 'hobby' operators flying them. That in itself makes a huge difference.

Aloha Nigel,

     See my Post #22 to Cellblock.  The entire Cultural Center of Paris is a NFZ.  No airports involved at all.

     Have you thawed out yet?  How are the river and your boats doing.  I hope there were no Ice Jams this year.

Aloha and Drone On!

Cetacean Posted at 4-19 19:45
Aloha A J,

     Really!  And it could not come at a better time, even if the circumstances are so sad.

So very true.

Cetacean Posted at 4-21 22:46
Aloha Cb,

     Notre Dame is in the middle of a NFZ - the cultural center of Paris.  There are no airports there.  The Culture and Interior Ministries apparently use the drones in that cultural center on a regular basis and so have "built-in" clearance for the NFZ.  The author of the article does not appear to be fully up-to-date on the NFZ properties of cultural areas which usually include large numbers of people - tourists.  The airport did not figure into the NFZ calculation as noted in the article.  

I am well aware of the geofencing and NFZs over Paris.  I had no concerns regarding if the DJI modes were exempted from the normal restrictions as I have been VERY vocal against the inclusion of NFZs in our aircraft.   
As for looking into the Enterprise aircraft, been there, been doing it.  I am a professional UAV pilot.  I have flown Enterprise models for a couple of years. From Inspires down to Phantoms and my department is in the process of purchasing a Mavic 2 Dual after much research and testing of other options including the Yuneec H520 and the Matice 210.
I agree that the technology is amazing but is also very frustrating to deal with when we have to fight to override the arbitrary Warning Zones and NFZs installed in the software.  
We are all FAA certified Pt 107 pilots.  We had to take an exam showing that we know how to read sectional maps, look up NOTAMs and TFRs and know how to fly safely in controlled airspace.  I don't need my aircraft restricting me on an authorized mission I am tasked to fly.
I would be very pleased to see Autel, a French company, see this as a reason to push out UAVs with Enterprise aircraft which could compete with the M2ED and the M210.   

Cellblock776 Posted at 4-22 08:31
I am well aware of the geofencing and NFZs over Paris.  I had no concerns regarding if the DJI modes were exempted from the normal restrictions as I have been VERY vocal against the inclusion of NFZs in our aircraft.   
As for looking into the Enterprise aircraft, been there, been doing it.  I am a professional UAV pilot.  I have flown Enterprise models for a couple of years. From Inspires down to Phantoms and my department is in the process of purchasing a Mavic 2 Dual after much research and testing of other options including the Yuneec H520 and the Matice 210.
I agree that the technology is amazing but is also very frustrating to deal with when we have to fight to override the arbitrary Warning Zones and NFZs installed in the software.  

Aloha Cb,

     Mahalo for clearing things up.   Apparently the NFZ was not a problem in this case.

Aloha and Drone On!

EdM Posted at 4-19 07:30
Great find.  Thanks for posting.

Aloha EdM,

     No problem!  The Quartz article was promoted in the AMA Newsletter.

Aloha and Drone On!