We at Bainbridge Prepares—a community-based, volunteer-staffed program—know it’s important for the Bainbridge Island community to understand how we are using novel drone technology. We’re committed to providing an update on our flight operations at least once a year.  

The need for Bainbridge Island’s first responders to have access to drones was first identified after the grounding of the ferry Walla Walla in April, 2023. During that emergency, our local first responders said that having some eyes in the sky would have been extremely useful for their situational awareness.

After that incident, with an understanding of how future hazards such as a wildfire or earthquake might require aerial observation, our BP Technology Operations (TechOps) team started working on developing an all-volunteer response team of island-resident drone pilots in partnership with the Bainbridge Island Fire (BIFD) and Police (BIPD) departments and the City of Bainbridge Island Emergency Management Coordinator.

As we developed the program, we spoke with a number of emergency services and community stakeholders to ensure a wide representation of experiences were incorporated, such as the U.S. Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound and the Bainbridge Island Race Equity Advisory Committee (REAC). 

BP Drone Program

Today, our team consists of four FAA-certified drone pilots and their aircraft. All volunteers have training in the FEMA Incident Command System to ensure that they can work seamlessly with our supported public safety agencies and have undergone a background check with the City of Bainbridge Island.

They can respond to fires, search-and-rescue operations, hazardous materials incidents, and other similar emergencies (not criminal law enforcement). During a major disaster, the team can conduct damage assessment surveys, check to ensure roadways and waterways are safe for transit, and perform other tasks.

We also fly in support of non-emergency community events to assist with event safety and to gather promotional footage for nonprofits. Some of the drones our team flies have speciality payloads including thermal vision, spotlights, and the ability to drop personal water floatation aids.

Our Flights in 2024

For accountability purposes, all flight taskings are limited to a specific purpose, coordinated between Bainbridge Prepares and the organization requesting a response, and issued a mission number through the Washington State Emergency Management Division.

In 2024, our team provided the following responses for the Bainbridge Island community:

• Water Rescue, 3/25 (WA State Mission 24-1190). The team was asked to support BIFD for a vessel in distress with three persons and a dog reported on board. The drone was used to ensure scene safety for the responders and the occupants of the boat. The drone was equipped with a floatation aid to rapidly support a rescue should that have been necessary. There were no injuries to anyone on board the boat.  The footage data from this flight was provided to BIFD.

• Structure Fire Investigation, 4/17 (WA State Mission 24-1487).  BIFD asked the team to support the investigation of a house fire that had occurred the previous day. Due to extensive damage, investigators could not access certain parts of the roof and wanted drone flights to gather information about how the fire started and spread. The footage data was turned over to BIFD and the homeowner.

• Rotary Auction, 7/2–7/5 (WA State Mission 24-T-1302). Flights were performed to capture imagery for the Rotary Club of Bainbridge Island and provide traffic congestion awareness to BIPD in the area around the auction site. Footage was provided to the Rotary Club of Bainbridge Island for their use.

• Grand Old 4th of July Parade, 7/4 (WA State Mission 24-T-239). Flights were flown to support BIFD’s situational awareness for the 4th of July parade in the Winslow core, including to identify the least-crowded routes into and out of the parade area for ground emergency response vehicles and to provide location support to ground medical teams that might have needed help locating persons in distress during the event.  Footage data was provided to BIFD.

• Arms Around Bainbridge, 8/10 (WA State Mission 24-T-280). The team supported the Arms Around Bainbridge charity swim in coordination with the Bainbridge Prepares Flotilla and the Bainbridge Island Police Boat to provide overhead awareness and safety information for an open-water charity swim around the island. The team was further able to practice coordinated operations between drones and vessels on the water. Footage data was provided to Bainbridge Prepares and Arms Around Bainbridge.   

• Bloedel Reserve Wildland Firefighting Training, 9/5 (WA State Mission 24-T-383). BIFD conducted a prescribed burn/live wildland fire exercise at the Bloedel Reserve. The team partnered to integrate drones into a controlled burn scenario, practicing a coordinated air/ground response to a wildland fire. Imagery was captured for BIFD training purposes, and the team was able to practice the use of a thermal-equipped drone on a fire. The drones were used during the fire as well as during the post-exercise mop-up to ensure there were no lingering hotspots. Imagery was provided to BIFD and the Bloedel Reserve.

New, Enhanced Drone

Bainbridge Prepares recently took delivery of a new drone funded through generous grants from the Rotary Club of Bainbridge Island and the Bainbridge Island Community Foundation. The drone has a much more advanced capability than the consumer drones the team currently uses. 

The Matrice 30T is specifically designed for emergency response work, equipped with a higher-resolution thermal camera, a laser range finder to measure distance to objects on the ground, and extended flight time capability. Further, it can operate day or night in winds and inclement weather that would ground our existing aircraft. We are excited to put this drone into service in support of our community in the coming weeks.  

Get Involved

Climate change will affect the kinds of disasters and emergencies that may impact our island. The BP TechOps drone program is an example of how the unique partnership among the City of Bainbridge Island, BIFD, and BP is working to enhance our community's safety and resiliency.

As a volunteer program, we rely upon the Bainbridge Island community to staff and fly our missions. If you are a current FAA Part 107 drone pilot and would like to volunteer your skills to assist your neighbors during emergencies and community events, we’d love to talk to you! People who are working on their Part 107 certificate or are otherwise interested in helping the team can volunteer as safety observers. Contact us at techops@bainbridgeprepares.org.

Featured image shows a BP drone monitoring a controlled burn with BIFD.