Disaster relief

DRA is a volunteer organisation comprising military veterans and first responders. They are certified by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority to conduct aerial mapping and damage assessments using drones to provide rapid response to disasters. 

Over the last 3 years, DRA has carried out over 889 post-disaster flights using drones across Australia and the Asia-Pacific. Drones are used for thermal imagery, landslip typography, imagery analysis, debris and moisture calculation. This enables immediate disaster response and complements the efforts of other emergency service agencies and affected communities.

In 2022, DRA provided assistance during the Queensland and New South Wales flood recovery by using 218 drone flights to map and assess damage. This helped prioritise relief efforts and identified where debris needed to be cleared to provide access.