The Smart Marty Sky Dispatch
California Fire Department Orders Autonomous Firefighting Drones
San Bernardino County plans to deploy five aircraft for wildfire suppression beginning in 2027.
The San Bernardino County Fire Protection District has contracted with California-based Seneca to acquire five autonomous firefighting drones, according to an announcement Wednesday. The aircraft are expected to enter service in 2027 and would allow a single pilot to supervise multiple drones during wildfire suppression operations.
The system includes five aircraft, a towable ground operations station and software designed to coordinate flights using onboard automation. Seneca claims the fleet can deliver more than 500 gallons of finished foam and respond to newly detected fires within five to 10 minutes. The company also envisions using the aircraft for nighttime operations, structure protection and suppressing remaining hot spots.
County Expands Drone Operations
San Bernardino County Fire already operates a dedicated robotics and unmanned aircraft division. In December 2025, the department demonstrated Seneca’s Argo-1 drone, which uses thermal imaging and automated targeting to locate and suppress fires.
“Our goal is to stop 90% of fires before they grow larger than 10 square feet,” Fire Chief Dan Munsey said in Wednesday’s announcement. The department has not released operational results establishing whether the new fleet can meet that target.
Deployment Scheduled for 2027
Aircraft deliveries are planned for the first and second quarters of 2027, and the department expects to begin operations before the peak wildfire season. The announcement did not specify what FAA authorizations would be required for simultaneous multi-aircraft operations or how the drones would be coordinated with crewed firefighting aircraft. Other agencies are also exploring automation for aerial firefighting, including a joint program between Sikorsky and CAL FIRE to develop autonomous capabilities for the S-70i Firehawk helicopter.