In November 2006 , NASA 's Dryden Flight Research Center obtained an MQ-9 ( and mobile ground control station ) , named '' Ikhana '' , for the Suborbital Science Program within the Science Mission Directorate . In 2007 , Ihkana was used to survey the Southern California wildfires , supporting firefighter deployments based upon the highest need . The California Office of Emergency Services had requested NASA support for the Esperanza Fire , and the General Atomics Altair was launched less than 24 hours later on a 16-hour mission to map the fire 's perimeter . The fire mapping research is a joint project with NASA and the US Forest Service
Esperanza Fire
Esperanza Fire
General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper