Record number of consumer drones are keeping firefighters grounded
Andrew Avitt Office Of Communication U.s. Forest
Wednesday, May 6, 2026
Drones, also referred to as uncrewed aerial systems or UAS, have been increasingly complicating airspace around wildfires since the first consumer models came to market in 2013. These mechanical critters of the sky are a nuisance to wildland firefighting when they are operating unauthorized in restricted airspace, putting pilots, their crews, and aircraft at risk.
