“Artificial intelligence enables us to address some of humanity’s greatest challenges, and in this case, improve disaster resilience for populations around the world,” Toni Townes-Whitley, President of US Regulated Industries, Microsoft, said in a statement. “As evidenced by this consortium we have joined with the DOE and DoD, it’s critical that private and public sectors work together to provide first responders with technology that has the potential to save lives.”

The partnership between Microsoft and the DOE makes sense: Microsoft has the tools and infrastructure to help churn through vast amounts of data, and the DOE desperately needs better ways to prepare for impending disasters. After all, California and western US states are currently facing another season of wildfires. Iowa is still recovering from a massive wind storm, and last year almost 14 million people throughout the Midwest and South were hit with heavy flooding.

No matter what you think of why these disasters are cropping up more frequently (but yes, it’s likely climate change), the US will need all the help it can get moving forward. And hopefully, Microsoft and the DOE can share what they learn with the rest of the world eventually.

These drone sentries should be relatively inexpensive, costing less than some professional drones. It’s more resilient than some warning systems, too. Where river monitoring stations frequently collapse in floods and other natural catastrophes, the drones can fly above the chaos as long as they have a charge.

Unlike many research projects, there’s already a customer. Vietnam’s Disaster Management Authority has picked the drone network to help monitor extreme weather and get in touch with emergency services. Whether or not other countries follow suit is less than certain. The US Interior Department, for instance, recently grounded its Chinese-made drones over security fears. It may take a lot of persuasion (and non-Chinese drones) before you see drones keeping watch over American waterways.

If you own a GM vehicle that is a 2006 model or newer, it’s likely it has OnStar hardware installed. Car owners who no longer pay for OnStar can still access the service for free during the hurricane. Advisors will be available to assist 24/7.

GM isn’t the only automaker providing natural disaster support. Tesla is helping those impacted by Hurricane Dorian by offering free Supercharging, enabling Powerwall’s “storm watch” feature and enabling more range on some vehicles. Electrek noted that owners of a Powerwall — Tesla’s lithium ion battery — who were in Dorian’s path noticed that storm watch mode had been activated. The special emergency mode automatically charges the Powerwall at full capacity so it can provide backup power.

The Category 3 hurricane is expected to get close to Florida’s east coast by Tuesday evening and last through Wednesday. And local government and emergency services appear to be taking it seriously. “Hurricane Dorian is the strongest storm to ever threaten the state of Florida on the east coast,” said Jared Moskowitz, director of Florida’s Division of Emergency Management. “No matter what path this storm takes, our state will be impacted.”

The company also promises to offer transportation help to first responders and volunteers. It’ll steer customers toward valuable resources as well, such as Airbnb Open Homes, United Way 211 info and shelter locations.

The disaster plan is part of Lyft’s larger City Works strategy aiming to support the community at large. While there’s clearly a public relations angle to all of it, this latest program could be particularly vital. If there’s a disaster, you don’t want to guess where help will come from. This could help you plan a retreat to safety, and make it clear when you’ll have to look for alternatives.