Cool article about the potential use of FPV drones and fighting fires. http://www.cnn.com/2012/07/26/tech/innovation/technology-fighting-fire/index.html?hpt=hp_bn5
Except for the FLIR, or whatever IR camera/imager they are using, the quad in the photo looks like a cheapo job. Maybe they expect their quad to be expendable because it might (probably will) get engulfed in flames sooner or later.
From the story I found reference to using ham packet radio for data telemetry. This automatically leads me to believe that the person doing this is someone like one of us probably volunteering thier time. From my research I have yet to find any agency in the United States routinely using drones on fires. The closest is northern Arizona where a Sheriff office has a drone who is willing to use it on fires when asked. Another is the Sheriff in Colorado who has some planes that mentioned the use on fires as a possibility.
