Alaska DOT drone team livestreamed Juneau’s glacial outburst flood to emergency managers

During Juneau’s record-breaking glacial outburst flood earlier this month , the Alaska Department of Transportation completed one of its most complex drone missions to date.

A handful of DOT drone pilots filmed Juneau’s temporary levee consistently during the major flood stage of the event, including overnight footage using infrared cameras. The agency livestreamed that footage to keep emergency managers informed as floodwaters rose, crested and receded.

Patrick Dryer, an avalanche and geohazard specialist at DOT in Juneau, said this was a new feat for the department.

“We were able to essentially monitor this remotely, without having personnel, you know, in the field for a 12-hour period there,” Dryer said.

He said they were able to do that because the drones they used, called Skydio