Fire departments, it seems, are a significant chunk of those drone users. According to an infographic from Dronefly.com, an online drone retailer, 69 fire departments across the U.S. purchased drones between 2009 and early 2017. They represent around 20 percent of the 347 public safety agencies that bought drones during that window.
The infographic outlined four major ways fire departments are using drones: scene monitoring; search and rescue; post-fire or disaster assessment; and wildland fire response. Specially-outfitted drones can help illuminate nighttime activities or use thermal imaging to find warm areas, they can assess damage and they can deliver supplies to disaster victims.
Dronefly.com estimates an $881 million global market for firefighters purchasing drones.