Drone Team

The Kingsport Fire Department (KFD) drone team is an increasingly vital component of the city’s emergency response capabilities, leveraging aerial technology for a wide array of public safety missions.
Core Responsibilities & Operations
The KFD drone program, which started in 2018, provides critical situational awareness and a “bird’s-eye view” for the department’s command staff during volatile situations.
The team assists:
• Fire Mitigation: Tracking hot spots and progression in structure and wildland fires.
• Search and Rescue: Locating missing individuals, identifying safe access points for rescue personnel, and surveying difficult terrain.
• Disaster Recovery: Flying over severe debris piles and mapping devastated areas after major events.
• Special Operations: Assisting with hazardous materials (Hazmat) incidents and providing aerial support for prescribed burns at regional locations like Bays Mountain Park.

Recent Team Expansion

To meet a rising demand for aerial support, the department expanded the team beyond its baseline of three initial pilots. In early 2026, a new class of KFD personnel completed specialized training to become Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certified drone pilots, ensuring quicker and safer incident mitigation across overlapping shifts.