Fire Safety
Fire Risk Assessment and Planning
- Assess fire risk by reviewing:
- Calfire Red Flag Warning
- Air Quality Index (AQI)
- Vegetation levels and condition
- Avoid operating above areas that are not viewable to monitor for fires started by a crashed UAS.
- Equipment to bring:
- Fire Extinguisher (ABC) for regular small fires
- Fire Extinguisher (D), or bucket of sand for LiPo fires
- Shovel (optional)
- Single-Use Fire Blankets (optional)
- Planning for the worst case:
- Ensure that emergency communication systems are always available during flight operations.
- Ensure that all flight crew members can describe the flight operation location and how to get to the site to emergency personnel
- Ensure that all PPE is appropriate for the operation
Battery Fire
- Secure the site.
- Remove any other potential fire fuel or other fire hazards.
- Use a Class ABC fire extinguisher to extinguish and control any secondary fires.
- Use a Class D fire extinguisher or a bucket of sand to extinguish the fire at the battery itself.
- Avoid using water - if no other option, submerge the entire battery in water.
- If you are unable to extinguish the fire:
- Call emergency services
- Stop all fire suppression efforts and begin minimizing potential damage by clearing the area and removing other potential fire hazards
- DO NOT COMPROMISE YOUR SAFETY
In-Flight or Post-Flight Fire
- Maintain visual contact with UAS
- Communicate the situation to the Flight Crew
- Verify
- Check state of UAS (Status/Flight Mode)
- Check UAS location/altitude
- Check transmitter/tablet status and control links
- Take Actions
- Ground Crew – Alert and clear flight area, prepare safety equipment
- Visual Observer – Be prepared to call emergency services
- RPIC – Immediately terminate flight
- Issues
- If UAS sparks a ground fire:
- Secure site and attempt to extinguish the fire with Ground Crew
- If unable to extinguish fire:
- Call emergency services
- Stop all fire suppression efforts and begin minimizing potential damage by clearing the area and removing other potential fire hazards
- DO NOT COMPROMISE YOUR SAFETY
- Post-Incident
- Document incident
- Contact campus designated local authority or systemwide designated UAS authority