A firefighter has captured striking aerial images of Dubbo with a drone that’s a new tool of his trade.
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A new estate and the Macquarie River were some of the sights photographed during the flight of the remote-controlled craft.
Fire & Rescue NSW (FRNSW) has embraced the technology as having “immeasurable” benefits when performing its work to protect life and property.
The organisation received a licence to operate a drone “under certain and special conditions” from the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) within the past year.
One of FRNSW’s four drones has come from Sydney with pilot Michael Harvey as he relieves in the position of station officer at Dubbo Fire Station.
It’s a beautiful way to see the town.
- Relieving Dubbo station officer Michael Harvey
He recently conducted station training, with a demonstration showing local firefighters the capability of the drone.
“It was an opportunity for them to see it up close and what it’s all about,” he said.
“The local crew would love to have one based out here.”
Photos of the base in Wheelers Lane and its surrounds, the South Dubbo weir and a yet to be finished road were posted on Dubbo Fire Station’s Facebook page this week after the training session.
“It’s a beautiful way to see the town,” Mr Harvey said.
He and five other drone pilots have been with the program from the start and he is effusive about the advantages drones offer FRNSW.
“It’s definitely an investment but the benefit is immeasurable in terms of the incident controller having previously unobtainable situational awareness and vision of an incident,” he said.
With the drones the organisation can fly over incidents and live stream to any FRNSW device.
“From anywhere in the world to anywhere in the world,” Mr Havery said.
He reported that FRNSW was investigating expanding the program.
The drone he has in Dubbo is one of FRNSW’s smaller units - a Phantom 4, about 35 square-centimetres.
The project had been a long time in the making, and FRNSW went through a rigorous process with CASA to operate drones “under certain and special conditions”, Mr Harvey said.
All the FRNSW pilots were individually licensed as well.
“It’s been a culmination of about 13 years of being a hobbyist flying remote-controlled planes and helicopters to now being able to do it as part of my profession,” Mr Harvey said.
Faye Wheeler
I have been a journalist for more than a decade and in that time I have been keeping Daily Liberal readers up to date about issues affecting them and what's happening in their community. Throughout my career I have covered a range of rounds and most recently I have been focusing on the business round.
I have been a journalist for more than a decade and in that time I have been keeping Daily Liberal readers up to date about issues affecting them and what's happening in their community. Throughout my career I have covered a range of rounds and most recently I have been focusing on the business round.
