🚁 UAS Program – Drone Unit
Volunteer-Run. FAA-Approved. Mission-Driven.
Since 2019, the Gerrittsen Beach Volunteer Fire Department has operated one of the most advanced public safety drone programs in New York City’s volunteer fire service. Our UAS (Unmanned Aircraft System) Unit supports a wide range of incidents including:
🔥 Brush fires
🔍 Search & rescue (land and water)
🌊 Water rescues using aerial-deployed flotation
🧯 Fireground overwatch and hazmat assessments
🌀 Storm and disaster reconnaissance
🚧 Wide-area patrol and mutual aid missions
All flights are conducted by FAA Part 107 Certified Remote Pilots under approved waivers and strict legal compliance.
At the center of our program is the Skydio X10, a next-generation public safety aircraft capable of autonomous flight, advanced thermal imaging, and operation in wind, rain, and low-light conditions. The X10 features 360° obstacle avoidance, is launch-ready in under 40 seconds, and offers up to 40 minutes of flight time. We are FAA-approved for both BVLOS (Beyond Visual Line of Sight) and dock-based autonomous operations, allowing the drone to be launched and recovered remotely—without a pilot on scene.
We also fly the DJI Mavic 2 Enterprise Dual, a versatile platform equipped with both visible and thermal sensors, plus a payload system including spotlight, speaker, and beacon. It is deployed for tactical overwatch, fireground monitoring, and SAR operations.
The DJI Mini 2, introduced as a proof of concept in 2019, remains in service for rapid visual recon, flight planning, and confined-area observation.
We use a variety of tools to manage our drone operations, including DroneSense—our real-time flight management and livestreaming platform. During incidents, DroneSense allows us to stream aerial video directly to GBFD command staff, field members, and mutual aid partners, enabling real-time coordination and informed decision-making across agencies.
As of 2025, the GBFD Drone Unit has logged:
1,079 Flights
114 Total Flight Hours
FAA Waivers & Capabilities:
✅ BVLOS (Beyond Visual Line of Sight)
✅ Operations Over People
✅ Operations Over Moving Vehicles
✅ Dock-Based Autonomous Operations (Skydio Dock & DJI Dock 3)
✅ Wide-Area Authorization
✅ Class B Airspace (JFK)
✅ ResQTube Aerial Water Rescue Deployment
All flights are conducted under FAA 14 CFR Part 107 and in compliance with NYC Chapter 24 § 24-02(b)(3), which allows drone use by volunteer fire departments during emergency operations. The Volunteer Firemen’s Association of the City of New York (VFA) played a key role in advocating for this exemption—ensuring that volunteer departments have the legal ability to operate drones in service to their communities.
To see our drones in action, visit our YouTube channel: