L’impiego dei droni a supporto del soccorso tecnico urgente del Corpo Nazionale dei Vigili del Fuoco

Abstract

The use of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) and Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) has rapidly expanded within the Italian National Fire and Rescue Service, becoming a strategic asset for technical emergency response. Their rapid deployment, aerial overview capabilities, and integration of optical and thermal sensors allow responders to efficiently assess complex scenarios, improving safety and decision-making during operations. This paper illustrates several operational applications of drones in emergency contexts: search and rescue missions in forests, rural, or mountainous areas where thermal imaging supports the rapid identification of missing persons; wildfire management and post-event analysis through infrared imagery and georeferenced orthophotos for hotspot detection and burn-surface estimation; monitoring of industrial or waste-treatment facility fires where access is hazardous; and nighttime operations conducted in low-visibility conditions. The real-time acquisition of aerial data enhances coordination between ground teams and command units, supporting the tactical planning and evaluation of suppression strategies.

The increasing integration of UAS technologies highlights their essential contribution to operational effectiveness, reduction of intervention times, and protection of emergency personnel. Future developments will further strengthen their role through improved sensor performance and interoperability with command-and-control systems.