NYC's firefighters will use drones to make their jobs safer

New York City's firefighters have a new ally that could help keep them safe: drones. They've begun testing a small, fire-engine red unmanned aerial vehicle that can take both standard and infrared images and videos. The 85,000 machine will send footage to commanders in real-time, giving them the information they need to quickly come up with the best possible response. The fire department typically sends out tactical personnel equipped with gadgets to take photos of a scene before conjuring up a course of action. However, fire department director Timothy E. Herlocker realized the advantages of deploying drones for the job after a gas explosion in 2014.