How drones are helping – and hurting – Texas flooding rescue efforts

Yahoo

09-07-2025

Emergency responders in Texas are warning people to keep their private drones grounded during ongoing search and recovery missions, after an unauthorized aerial vehicle collided with a helicopter during rescue efforts.
A drone illegally operating in restricted airspace crashed into a helicopter involved in emergency operations on July 7, Kerr County officials said. The helicopter was forced to make an emergency landing and is out of service 'until further notice,' according to the county. No injuries were reported.
'This was entirely preventable,' the city of Kerrville said in a statement. 'When you fly a drone in restricted areas, you're not just breaking the law – you're putting first responders, emergency crews, and the public at serious risk.'
More: Over 100 dead as search and rescue enters day 5 in Texas flooding: Live updates
After the helicopter landed, Kerville Police said several other private drones were spotted flying overhead, making the 'dangerous situation' worse. Some of those found illegally flying were "media-operated." The devices were interfering with official search and rescue drones, the department said in a Facebook post urging people to let "first responders do their job."
"We know that people want to volunteer, but what we are starting to see is personal drones flying," Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice said during a July 7 news conference. "These personal drones flying is a danger to aircraft, which then risks further operations."
The Federal Aviation Admission issued a Temporary Flight Restriction for flood-impacted areas of the Texas Hill Country until July 13, closing airspace to unauthorized aircrafts from Hunt, Texas to Canyon Lake, Texas while first responders work.
In some areas, emergency officials have used drones to scour the Guadalupe River for signs of life. The Texas Air National Guard deployed giant MQ-9 drones on June 6 to gather high-resolution images and assess the impact of the flooding in Texas' Hill Country.
Williamson County, Texas, said it has also used drones as part of its search and rescue efforts.
Rescue and recovery efforts for victims of the devastating Texas floods stretched into their fifth day July 8. More than 100 people have been found dead, including at least 27 children and counselors from a beloved Christian girls camp.
The flooding began in the early morning of July 4, as intense rainfall caused the Guadalupe River to surge more than 25 feet in an hour, Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said. Survivors were found clinging to trees and standing on rooftops.
"We will not stop until every missing person is found," Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said.
Contributing: Jeanine Santucci
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: How rescue efforts in Texas are being helped (and hurt) by drones