Skyfire opens dedicated drone training center for DFR operators

Specialized UAV public safety and emergency program consultancy Skyfire has announced the opening of its dedicated facility for drone first responder (DFR) training, covering a wide range of scenarios for existing and adopting operators.

Located in Huntsville, AL, the new Rise DFR Village represents what  Skyfire calls “the nation’s most advanced training ground for Drone First Responders.” The facility is designed to provide UAV operators from law enforcement, fire, emergency medical, public safety, military, and even interested private companies expert instruction and hands-on training for aerial first response activity.

The Rise DFR Village has been added as an annex to the 2,000-acre, Federal Aviation Administration-designated innovation and testing hub Skyfire opened in Huntsville with sector partners in 2021. At the time it called the facility the most comprehensive airspace awareness and counter UAS system” training asset in the country. 

Now a section tailored for first responder operation has been added to that to instruct pilots in existing programs, and new ones nearing launch. Partners joining Skyfire in the DFR drone unit include BRINC, Parrot, AirData, DroneSense, Motorola (CAPE), Echodyne, and Dedrone.

“Rise DFR Village represents a significant leap forward in the integration of drones into public safety operations, and Skyfire is grateful for the support of the Huntsville International Airport and the City of Huntsville,” said Skyfire CEO Matt Sloane. “By providing a realistic training environment and collaborating with industry leaders, we are empowering first responders to leverage this life-saving technology to its fullest potential.”

According to Skyfire, the Rise DFR Village is designed to prepare first responders for real-world DFR operations by providing:

• Realistic Training Scenarios: Rise DFR Village replicates a variety of environments that first responders may encounter, including urban settings, disaster zones, and rural areas.

• Collaboration with Industry Leaders: The Village collaborates with leading drone manufacturers and software developers to provide attendees with access to the latest technologies.

• Focus on Integration: The training curriculum emphasizes integrating DFR operations into existing public safety workflows.

Among the major contributions Skyfire says drones provide to improved DFR response are enhanced situational awareness; faster response times; strengthened search and rescue operations; valuable support to firefighting; hazmat material identification; and critical information feeds to law enforcement forces.