GoKawiilDrones used to track underground embers after Cairngorms wildfire
Three months after a major wildfire swept through the Cairngorms National Park, drone pilot Pete Short is conducting weekly dawn flights using thermal-imaging drones to detect smouldering fires still burning beneath the surface. On a recent flight he found eight hidden hotspots, and during a reported flight a heat signature was detected under a tree despite no visible flames above ground.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
Underground embers can smoulder for months after a wildfire appears extinguished, potentially reigniting and threatening the landscape again, so thermal drone surveys offer a way to spot these hazards before they flare up. The ongoing need for weekly checks suggests the scale of the July wildfire left persistent, hard-to-detect risks that conventional ground inspection alone might miss.
- Thermal drones are being used to detect fires still smouldering underground months after a wildfire.
- A recent flight by pilot Pete Short found eight hidden hotspots in the Cairngorms.
- The monitoring, ongoing since July, highlights the lingering risk of reignition after major wildfires.
DJI Mavic 3 Thermal Drone — This story shows just how powerful thermal drone imaging can be for spotting hidden fires invisible to the naked eye. The DJI Mavic 3 Thermal combines high-resolution thermal and visual cameras, making it a great tool for hobbyists and professionals interested in environmental monitoring, search and rescue, or wildfire detection work like Pete's.
See DJI Mavic 3 Thermal Drone on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: bbc.co.uk — Watch Our Pick Of Standout Clips Across The Bbc, 2026-10-10
Published there as: “How drones are hunting fires hidden beneath the Cairngorms”
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