United Utilities Deploys Thermal Drones to Detect Hidden Hotspots in Moorland Fires
United Utilities Employs Thermal Imaging Drones for Fire Monitoring
United Utilities is utilizing thermal imaging drones to detect hidden hotspots left by recent moorland fires in northwest England. This initiative aims to prevent the risk of re-ignition in areas affected by the fires.
Support for Emergency Services
The water company has been assisting emergency services since the fires began at the end of June. Although cooler temperatures and rainfall have contributed to controlling the situation, heat can persist beneath the surface of peatland, posing a risk of renewed fires.
To address this, United Utilities has deployed drones equipped with thermal cameras to survey extensive areas from the air. These drones are capable of identifying hotspots and providing GPS coordinates to ground crews for targeted intervention.
Expert Insights
Lindsay Page, United Utilities’ lead for Water Services in Greater Manchester, emphasized the importance of this technology in enhancing operational efficiency. “Bringing these fires under control has been a huge team effort involving our teams and partners, including the RSPB and Derbyshire Mountain Rescue,” Page stated. “Even with the absence of visible flames, our teams continue to monitor the area daily, as underground heat pockets can pose a risk of re-ignition.”
Page noted that monitoring from the ground is challenging due to the vast areas that need to be scanned for signs of smoke. “These new thermal imaging drones are game-changing as they pinpoint the problem areas, allowing us to allocate resources effectively,” she added.
Aerial Support and Ongoing Monitoring
During the peak of the fires, United Utilities provided helicopters to assist firefighting efforts, completing approximately 2,000 trips and dropping over 20 million liters of water. Although major incidents have since been scaled back, the company’s catchment teams continue to patrol areas such as Dovestones and Tintwistle to extinguish remaining hotspots.
United Utilities had previously trained team members as drone pilots for inspections in remote areas and has now expanded this capability to include thermal imaging. The drones can efficiently scan large moorland areas, identifying heat sources that may be difficult to detect from the ground.
Operational Efficiency
“It is still a difficult task as teams navigate challenging terrain while carrying heavy loads of water, but now they can proceed with precise directions,” Page explained. “This technology significantly reduces the time spent searching for hotspots.”
Additionally, temporary dams containing thousands of liters of water remain in place across the moors, providing essential water supplies for crews tackling the remaining hotspots.
Future Applications of Thermal Imaging Drones
United Utilities anticipates that the drones will continue to be beneficial beyond the immediate fire response. Potential applications include environmental monitoring and infrastructure assessments, as well as detecting water leaks.
This operation underscores the practical advantages of thermal drones in post-fire monitoring, allowing crews to utilize aerial thermal data to locate residual heat sources in challenging terrains, rather than relying solely on visible smoke or surface indicators.