FAA Greenlights Drones for Avalanche Mitigation
Over the last several years, drones have become both more advanced and more user-friendly, which has opened up a new realm of use cases for the aerial devices.
From their ability to capture a new perspective on big mountain skiing to their use in land surveying, crop monitoring, and search and rescue missions, it’s clear that the sky is quite literally the limit with these devices.
Of course, accessibility is a double-edged sword, with the potential to interfere with airspace and violate privacy.
However, on the positive end of the spectrum, companies like Drone Amplified have developed ways to use drones to eliminate or mitigate human risk in certain scenarios. Sprouting from research conducted at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Drone Amplified now develops systems for hazardous environmental mitigation that improve access and reduce exposure for humans in wildland firefighting and, now, avalanche mitigation.
In March, Drone Amplified announced their MONTIS system, which performs avalanche mitigation without requiring humans to approach dangerous terrain. MONTIS carries and drops explosives over snow-loaded, avalanche-prone slopes, employing a tactic similar to that of ski patrollers with hand chargers or static towers that trigger remote blasts in avalanche terrain.
On July 8, 2026, Drone Amplified announced that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) had granted them regulatory approval for the operation of the MONTIS system. The FAA’s decision provides a clear, legal framework for the company and its US customers to safely conduct drone-based avalanche control operations alongside existing avalanche control methods.
The technology will allow transportation departments, ski resorts, and private entities to remotely trigger controlled avalanches by serving as a primary tool, backup, or strategic supplement to ground crews & helicopters. Supplemental use of the MONTIS system to perform avalanche mitigation has the potential to streamline operations on roadways like those in Little Cottonwood Canyon, which are mitigated with stationary towers and helicopters.
“Our mission is simple: use robotics to make the most dangerous jobs safer,” said Carrick Detweiler, CEO of Drone Amplified, in a press release. “Avalanche mitigation crews protect communities and keep critical infrastructure open every single day. This landmark FAA approval is a testament to the rigorous engineering behind MONTIS and our close collaboration with partners like the Alaska Department of Transportation.”
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