Think about the effectiveness of a small squadron of UAVs flying domestically, set up to detect smoke or infrared from a forest fire. One pilot can control multiple machines, putting the ones he’s not actively controlling on autopilot, covering far more area far more effectively then manned planes can do today.

Police agencies are likely to do similiar observation capability — at least for fair weather accidents a UAV flyover looking for ejected victims might be standard, since they could have a dozen UAVs airborne for the cost of a single helicopter. (In Connecticut, due to an unfortunate situation a few years ago, all MVAs that are found “abandoned” must have their vicinity cleared by State Police helicopter (FLIR), police canine, or FD thermal imager.)