Municipality of Kincardine Expands Municipal Services with Drone Technology

The Municipality of Kincardine is enhancing municipal operations with the use of drone technology to support infrastructure planning, emergency management, and community safety.

Municipal drones provide staff with a safe and efficient way to capture aerial imagery and collect site data for projects across the community. This technology supports day-to-day operations while helping improve planning, response, and decision-making in a variety of municipal services.

Drone operations may be used for activities such as infrastructure inspections, project planning, shoreline monitoring, emergency response, and damage assessments following severe weather or other incidents. Aerial data allows staff to safely assess locations that may be difficult to access and helps improve situational awareness during emergencies.

The Municipality currently operates two drones: the DJI Matrice 400 and the DJI Mini 5 Pro. Flights are conducted by trained municipal staff in accordance with Transport Canada regulations. The Municipality has ten certified pilots who hold Transport Canada Pilot Certificates for Basic and Advanced Operations under the Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems program.

How the technology supports municipal operations

Drone technology supports a range of municipal functions, including:

Infrastructure and project planning

• Surveying project areas before construction
• Creating aerial maps and site documentation
• Monitoring shoreline changes and municipal assets such as bridges, roads, and stormwater systems

Emergency management

• Supporting situational awareness during incidents
• Assisting with search and rescue operations
• Assessing impacts from flooding, storms, and infrastructure damage
• Providing aerial imagery for emergency planning and recovery

Community resilience

• Improving staff safety by reducing the need for manual inspections in hazardous areas
• Supporting faster response and informed decision-making
• Enhancing communication with residents through accurate visual information during emergencies and recovery efforts

All footage, imagery, and data collected through municipal drone operations is municipally owned and remains under the care and control of the Municipality of Kincardine. Information is collected only for specific operational purposes, such as infrastructure planning, inspections, and emergency management, and is handled in accordance with applicable privacy legislation. Drone use is limited to authorized municipal activities and is not intended for general surveillance.

Training use

The Municipality’s drone may also be used periodically during training exercises with Kincardine Fire and Emergency Services to support emergency preparedness and staff training.

Residents may occasionally notice drone activity during evening training sessions held from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. on scheduled Wednesday training nights in Tiverton and Kincardine.