In Tucson, Arizona, the Tucson Fire Department is reshaping pre-incident planning. By combining drone-captured data with our real-time mapping tools, they’re equipping crews with the intel they need, before the call comes in. From wildfire zones to complex city terrain, Tucson is mapping risk in advance, turning readiness into routine.

Getting Ahead of the Incident

Tucson Fire’s challenge wasn’t hardware, it was workflow. Their drone program had tools, but missions were limited to aerial overwatch. The data wasn’t reaching the planners and engineers who needed it most. 

What they needed was a solution that was easy to use, powerful enough to deliver actionable maps, and accessible for collateral-duty pilots. Nova struck that balance making drone data usable, shareable, and mission-ready. 

Real-Time Pre-Incident Mapping with Nova

Tucson Fire adopted Nova, focusing on the orthomosaic and panorama mapping tools to document two critical areas: 

1. A high-risk wildland interface, flagged by their Wildland Division Chief for up-to-date terrain data and hazard planning.

   

   
   

2. A 100-acre zone inside city limits, frequently impacted by encampments and repeated callouts where conditions change often and clear visuals are hard to come by.

Using our orthomosaic tool, Tucson’s UAS team created high-resolution, geo-referenced maps that could be shared directly with pre-plans teams. By layering in detailed panoramas, the department provided planning staff with a clear, up-to-date view of the field conditions.

More than just clean visuals, these maps became an operational asset. Whether for wildland interface zones or frequent callout areas, they helped inform planning decisions, guide field teams, and bring added clarity to critical terrain.  

A New Rhythm of Readiness

These pre-mapped areas are now part of the department’s routine workflow. Every 2 to 4 weeks, Tucson’s drone team scans the 100-acre zone again to ensure their data is current, updated to changes, and ensuring every responder has the intel they need before stepping off the rig. They now rely on the ortho and pano data from Nova for situational awareness and that reliability has given the drone team something even more important: buy-in.

UAS Program Leads, Andy and Reuben, who manage the drone program as a collateral duty, are flying more missions and seeing more support across the department. This isn’t just mapping for the sake of it, it’s providing meaningful operation intelligence.

Building Momentum From the Ground Up

• Improved frequency of data updates in high-risk areas

• New integration into pre-planning workflows

• Increased internal engagement with the drone program

• Greater situational awareness for field crews and planners

"The Tucson Fire Department is relentless in its pursuit of operational readiness. By proactively mapping high-risk areas—homeless encampments, urban interfaces, and beyond—they ensure their teams stay ahead of the unpredictable. For Tucson, it’s not a question of if but when. With up-to-date imagery, they move with confidence, turning uncertainty into precision and preparation into action.”

What's Next

Tucson Fire is just getting started. With increased buy-in from both Wildland and pre-plan divisions, the department is already exploring how to integrate UAS operations into their workflow more efficiently.

Our role is to support this momentum by developing tools that meet teams in the field and deliver value front takeoff to tactical response.

Want to see how we can support your team?