Google sought FAA approval to test drones for firefighting

Firefighters working with a drone as they try to extinguish a fire in a warehouse in Badalona, near Barcelona. Google’s plans to test drones for firefighting have since been shelved. — AFP

Google asked the US Federal Aviation Administration for permission to test drones to research how the technology can help monitor and control fires, before abandoning the effort.

The Alphabet Inc company’s climate and energy research group said it planned to use the drone at a private property in Firebaugh, California, according to a filing with the FAA. Those plans have since fizzled.