Drone Mapping and Damage Assessment Operations

*Sharing on behalf of Inverness, Victoria and Richmond Counties and the Town of Port Hawkesbury

Cape Breton Flood Response: Drone Mapping and Damage Assessment Operations

Residents in areas impacted by flooding may notice drone activity in the coming days as part of ongoing flood damage assessment efforts.

The Western Cape Breton Regional Emergency Management Organization (REMO), (made up of Inverness, Victoria and Richmond Counties, and the Town of Port Hawkesbury), in partnership with GlobalMedic (a registered Canadian charity mandated to provide people affected by disaster with humanitarian aid) and emergency management partners, is conducting aerial mapping and imaging of areas impacted by the recent flooding and severe weather event.

The drones will be used to capture information about damaged roads, infrastructure, shorelines, and other affected areas to support damage assessments, recovery planning, and response efforts. Residents may see drones operating over public roadways and surrounding areas, particularly near West Bay Road and Marble Mountain.

“The information collected will help our emergency management officials, engineers, and response agencies better understand the extent of the damage and prioritize recovery efforts,” says Jerron Hawley, Emergency Coordination Centre Incident Commander. “We thank residents for their patience and cooperation as this important work is completed.”

For safety reasons, people are asked not to approach drone operators while they are working and to continue following any travel advisories or road closure notices that remain in effect.