Manila acquires high-tech drones to boost disaster response, data gathering

Manila Mayor Isko Moreno, with the assistance of Manila Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office drone operators, tests the features of the city's newly acquired high-tech drones at Quirino Grandstand in Manila on Wednesday, January 28, 2026. Moreno says the drones will be used to map the city and support disaster response operations. The units are equipped with thermal imaging for crowd monitoring, spotlights and speakers for search-and-rescue missions in the event of disasters.