Hinchinbrook floods 2025: Queensland Fire drone footage during emergency response

Queensland Fire has released video footage captured by its drone pilots in response and recovery efforts during the ongoing North Queensland flood disaster.

The Queensland Fire Department has released video footage captured by its drone pilots playing vital roles in the response and recovery efforts during the ongoing North Queensland flood disaster.

Volunteer rural firefighter Dean West, a senior unpaid QFD Remotely drone pilot, was the senior Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) liaison officer based in the Townsville Incident Control Centre (ICC) during the disaster, which included running teams in Ingham and Townsville.

A screen grab of a video captured by Queensland Fire Department drone pilots during response and recovery efforts during the ongoing North Queensland flood disaster. Picture: QFD

The former Australian Defence Force (ADF) infantry soldier said the drones had a variety of roles, including overwatch for rescues, evacuations or medical emergencies.

“What we do with our drones, basically they’ve got a spotlight and speakers on them so we can actually fly across the river and actually chat to them that we are on the way, and then provide overwatch on the way back,” he said.

A Queensland Fire Department pilot operating a Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS), more commonly referred to as a drone, during response and recovery efforts in the ongoing North Queensland flood disaster. Picture: QFD

“We work well with Swift Water … crews to have a look at the river system so they don’t have to find out first hand, we can fly the drone over to show them the eddies, the river current, how it’s moving and they get a good idea about where to positive their boats and how to traverse that river system.”

A screen grab of a video captured by Queensland Fire Department drone pilots during response and recovery efforts during the ongoing North Queensland flood disaster. Picture: QFD

Mr West said RPAS, more commonly referred to as drones, were proving highly effective as intelligence, surveillance and reconnoitre (ISR) platforms, which included thermal imaging capabilities.

“It’s an eye in the sky that can get into areas that helicopters can’t.”

He said the sturdy, waterproof M30T drones proved their value during the first week of the disaster when helicopter operations were severely hampered by low cloud and heavy rains.

A screen grab of a video captured by Queensland Fire Department drone pilots during response and recovery efforts during the ongoing North Queensland flood disaster. Picture: QFD

Mr West said the drones had tremendous capabilities in a variety of roles, including in bushfires, chemical spills and in missing person search and rescues.

A Queensland Fire Department pilots operating a Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS), more commonly referred to as a drone, during response and recovery efforts in the ongoing North Queensland flood disaster. Picture: QFD

He said additionally, the information gathered by up to five pilots flying a total of 236 flight, could be shared with the respective North Queensland councils.

“They can use it for claiming back from the Federal Government because they will have snapshots of time when places were flooding.”

Originally published as Hinchinbrook floods 2025: Queensland Fire drone footage during emergency response