Thermal drones in action Firefighters responding to a grasslands wildfire in Cleburn, Texas on March 20, 2022, leveraged thermal drones (watch the YouTube Video)to provide comprehensive situational awareness of the growing fire. The thermal drones could see through the thick billowing smoke and guide ground teams to safely respond to the hotspots. They were able to contain flare-ups and keep the blaze away from residential areas, and brought the fire under control within 4 hours.