Originally Posted by
chopjock
John,
I'm not saying don't control drones on bush fire opps, I'm suggesting that grounding operations and letting the fire burn uncontrolled just because a drone was "seen" is over reacting. By all means necessary enforce the rules, but put the dam fire out.
Seriously, you appear to have little or no idea of how things are in a bushfire; you appear to put the safety and survival of the crews and aircraft below fighting the fire. The fire will burn even more uncontrolled should a Helitak be taken out of the equation because of a midair with a drone, then another (letting one in means letting all in), then there will be a self grounding by the remaining pilots.
Aircraft are only part of the equation in fighting bushfires: there are massive ground ops involving direct attack by firefighters, backburning, dozer trails, rakehoes to cut firebreaks, etc etc. They continue overnight when aerial attack is suspended (trials starting soon in Victoria for night flying) so the concept of a short grounding to find and stop
illegal drone ops is a small hiccup in the overall scheme of things. Indeed, such a grounding gives a chance for a welcome break for the drivers, a refuel, maybe a shutdown and onceover of the Helitaks, Firebirds, bombers etc before getting back to the job at hand unhindered by selfish and illegal drone operations.