Leading developers of safety standards, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and ASTM International, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to support a joint working group of experts in public safety and drone technology—also known as unmanned aircraft systems (UAS).
The joint working group aims to serve as a key resource for various global efforts related to drone standardization. The group is working to create use-case scenarios to help meet needs of law enforcement, search-and-rescue teams, emergency medical services personnel, and firefighters who want to use drones in various operations.
NFPA President and CEO Jim Pauley said innovation in drone technology is driving the demand for technical standards, training, and certification for first responders.
“Through the experts in this new group, we hope to see new benchmarks, use-case scenarios, and performance criteria to help professionals use drones to be more effective in their jobs,” Pauley said.
ASTM International President Katharine Morgan added that she has seen first-hand how experts in unmanned aircraft systems and response robots could work with first responders to conduct lifesaving tasks.
“I’m excited about the potential for this new group to align efforts of various stakeholders and to build a technical foundation that empowers people on the front lines,” Morgan said.
The joint working group comprises representatives from ASTM International’s unmanned aircraft systems committee (F38), search-and-rescue committee (F32), subcommittee on response robots (E54.09), and committee that created NFPA 2400—Standard for Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Used for Public Safety Operations.