First Responders

First Responders

AUVSI chapter report: Hurricane Irma reveals strengths and weaknesses of UAS involvement

Hurricane Irma clobbered a good portion of Florida on Sept. 10, further elevating the role of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) in disaster response and recovery operations. Soon after the storm had passed, drones quickly took to the air to provide situational awareness for first responders and assess damage to critical infrastructure providers.   However, planning for UAS operations started well before irma ever made landfall. A statewide UAS safety briefing web conference coordinated by the AUVSI Florida Peninsula Chapter (FPC) was held Saturday, Sept. 9.   
Florida State University Emergency Management and Homeland Security program faculty member Jarrett Broder flies a damage assessment mission in Collier County in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma. Photo: David Merrick

ArdentMC launches UAS initiative to aid areas of Northern California damaged by wildfires

Reston, Virginia-based software development firm Ardent Management Consulting (ArdentMC) has announced the launch of a UAS initiative, which will result in the company offering up to 100 hours of free aid in areas of Northern California that have been devastated by wildfires. During the two-week initiative, ArdentMC will utilize geographic information system (GIS) technology to help assess the damage caused by wildfires that have consumed much of Northern California.
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Tactical Robotics providing its Cormorant UAV with engine upgrade

Tactical Robotics Ltd. (TRL), which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Urban Aeronautics, has announced that it is in the process of equipping its Cormorant cargo and medical evacuation UAV with the Safran Helicopter Engines Arriel 2 engine, pushing the Cormorant UAV one step closer to its final production configuration. Described as “one of the most advanced and reliable helicopter engines in the world,” the Arriel 2 engine offers additional power over the currently installed Arriel 1D1 engine, allowing for operation at full load—even during hot summer days—and it will facilitate an increase in cruise speed and load carrying capability.

AUVSI to Offer Special Membership to Public Safety Professionals Through Partnership with National Council on Public Safety UAS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Oct. 19, 2017 Contact: Tom McMahon, tmcmahon@auvsi.org, (571) 255-7786

GA-ASI's MQ-9 UAS being used to help with firefighting efforts in Northern California

In support of the firefighting efforts in Northern California by CAL FIRE, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc.’s (GA-ASI) MQ-9 UAS is being used by the California Air National Guard’s 163d Attack Wing operating out of March Air Reserve Base. The UAS has full-motion video (optical and infra-red), as well as ground imaging Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) capability, which provides clear sight through both clouds and smoke.  “The 163d Attack Wing supports citizens during the fires by operating two missions under approval from the Secretary of Defense and the Federal Aviation Administration,” says Brigadier General Dana A. Hessheimer.

Rajant and AlarmTransfer show UAS can reduce the time it takes for authorities to respond to a verified home alarm

If alarm companies use UAS to supplement their current infrastructure, the amount of time it takes for authorities to respond to a verified home alarm can be significantly lowered, according to a Malvern, Pennsylvania company called Rajant, which provides private wireless networks, and Norman, Oklahoma’s AlarmTransfer. The national average time it takes for authorities to respond to a verified home alarm is seven minutes. Through their tests using UAS, Rajant and AlarmTransfer showed a home alarm company can get aerial surveillance on the scene as quickly as 30 seconds.

Canada's Morinville Fire Department launches UAS program

Thanks to a new partnership and collaboration with Transport Canada certified Canadian UAV company A3UAV, the Morinville Fire Department in Morinville, Alberta, Canada will begin using the Aeryon SkyRanger UAS to assist in several of its operations. The UAS, which will be ready for deployment 24 hours a day, will be used as an additional resource for the fire department, thanks to fire department pilots and A3UAV spending the last few months taking courses, training, and conducting hours of flight time. According to Fire Chief Brad Boddez, the idea behind using UAS in firefighting operations originated a little over two years ago after the department responded to a large condo fire.
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Washington State Patrol using UAS to fly over crash scenes

The Washington State Patrol (WSP) is crediting its UAS with helping to ease backups that are caused by crashes on the road. Since the start of WSP’s pilot program back in July, UAS have been used to fly over 20 crash scenes. According to Washington State Patrol Detective Eric Gunderson, one of the UAS named ‘Ice Man’ recently flew over a rollover crash that was blocking two lanes of traffic on Interstate-5 in Tacoma, Washington. Gunderson says that using the UAS, he was able to capture more than 200 digital photos, which allowed him to document the scene in just over 20 minutes. It would have taken three to four hours to document the scene without the UAS, according to Gunderson.

Insitu and Esri collaborate to test UAS for fighting wildfires

Insitu, along with Esri, which is a company that builds mapping and spatial analytics software, has successfully completed test flights using state-of-the-art software to support the firefighting efforts of firefighters and first responders. The flights, which were held at the Warm Springs, Oregon FAA UAS Test Range, were aimed at helping firefighters suppress the Eagle Creek fire in Oregon, using Insitu’s INEXA Solutions professional aerial remote sensing teams, and the company's ScanEagle UAS.

Virginia's Stafford County Sheriff's Office uses UAS to find missing high school student

In Virginia, the Stafford County Sheriff’s Office is crediting its UAS for helping to locate a missing high school student. The student, an 18-year-old young man, was reported missing on Monday, September 18, around 5:00 p.m., after not returning home after school. The student had no history of running away, and the Sheriff’s Office believed that he might be endangered.

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