Drones in Search and Rescue Operations

Introduction

The history of drones, like many technological advancements, has its roots in military applications. As early as the 19th century, attempts were made to achieve military success with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

In the last decade, however, the development of drones has accelerated significantly. The aircraft have become smaller and more affordable. Control systems have become simpler and smarter, and the range of applications has become increasingly diverse. Starting from research purposes, drones have found wide usage in all Public Protection and Disaster Relief (PPDR) organisations. The technology has become available at a low price, making it accessible for various applications. 

Drones have become important tools in disaster management due to their versatility and advanced capabilities. The typical use cases are

1. Aerial Reconnaissance:

Drones are extensively used for aerial reconnaissance, providing real-time data and imagery of disaster-stricken areas. This capability allows rescue teams to assess the situation quickly and plan operations more efficiently.

2. Rapid Mapping (Cartography):

Drones equipped with advanced imaging technology can create detailed maps of affected areas. These maps are crucial for coordinating rescue efforts and identifying the most critical areas that need immediate attention.

3. Transport:

Drones have the potential to deliver essential supplies, such as food, water, and medical equipment, to remote or disaster-stricken areas where traditional transportation is challenging or impossible. This capability is especially valuable in emergency situations where infrastructure is damaged or inaccessible. However, current drone technology still has limitations, such as range, payload capacity, and reliability, which require further development to ensure effective deployment in real-world missions.

4. Ancillary Sensors:

Drones can be equipped with advanced sensors to detect hazardous materials, monitor environmental conditions, and assess air quality. By providing real-time data, these sensors enhance the situational awareness of rescue teams, enabling them to make informed decisions and strategically plan their missions for greater safety and efficiency. 

To take full advantages, the integration of drones into PPDR operations needs to overcome several challenges: 

• Use case scenarios

Drones offer many applications in disaster management. During floods, they can provide rapid assessments and support ongoing operations. In the aftermath of an earthquake, drones help deliver an initial overview of the affected area, including the scale of destruction, collapsed buildings, and damaged infrastructure. Additionally, drones can be used for wildfire management by detecting fire outbreaks and monitoring smoke dispersion to assist firefighting efforts. Numerous additional use cases need to be explored and carefully considered.

• Integration in Operations:

Integrating drones into existing search and rescue operations still needs improvements. Effective coordination between teams is essential to ensure that drones enhance rather than disrupt traditional methods, seamlessly supporting overall mission effectiveness. 

• Risk Assessment and Safety:

The use of drones in disaster response requires careful risk assessment to ensure safe deployment. Protecting both people on the ground and other air traffic is a top priority. In the initial phase of a disaster, multiple aircraft—including helicopters operated by the police, military, and emergency services—are often involved. Therefore, a secure and well-coordinated air traffic management system is essential. In Germany, a dedicated manual outlines the procedures for integrating drones into Public Protection and Disaster Relief (PPDR) operations (EGRED2).

• Education:

Training personnel to operate drones effectively is another essential component. This includes understanding the capabilities and limitations of drones, as well as adhering to regulations and safety protocols.

• Simultaneous Operation of Manned and Unmanned Aerial Systems:

Coordinating the simultaneous operation of manned and unmanned aerial systems, such as drones and helicopters, requires careful planning and communication. This is especially important in complex rescue scenarios.

• Interoperability with Other Players in the Field:

Drones must be able to work seamlessly with other technologies and teams in the field. This includes ensuring compatibility with communication systems and data-sharing platforms.

The mentioned challenges are subject to continuous improvement in the PPDR organisations. Among others, the Bavarian Red Cross (BRK) as local branch of the German Red Cross has a strong focus on these topics. Furthermore, BRK together with partners is working on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to analyse infrared images taken by drones in search and rescue (SAR) missions. While there are numerous examples in the research literature of how RGB images can be automatically evaluated, person detection in infrared (IR) images has been more challenging due to the lack of publicly available datasets depicting people in search and rescue (SAR) situations. These situations include:

• Alpine or pre-alpine terrain
• People in unusual positions, such as lying down, crouching, or injured
• Perspectives corresponding to drone footage
• Various vegetation and weather conditions

This gap has been addressed by collecting and annotating 10,000 images with the help of volunteer actors simulating injuries. These images were captured using a high-resolution handheld IR camera from elevated positions like cable car cabins, bridges, observation platforms, and cable car masts to mimic drone perspectives. This dataset enables robust AI-based person detection, which is currently under evaluation and will support SAR missions in the future.  

Outlook

The future of drones in search and rescue operations is promising. New concepts, such as drone swarms, are being explored. These swarms can cover larger areas and perform coordinated tasks, improving the efficiency of rescue operations. Cross-organisation drone operations are also being developed, allowing different agencies to collaborate and share resources. Project TEMA specifically utilises drones to collect critical data for monitoring and assessing natural emergencies, enhancing situational awareness and decision-making during disaster response.

The outcome of these advancements is a broad foundation for the use of drones in PPDR. During the TEMA Trial, drones will be used to verify data collection and feed the TEMA system. This trial will demonstrate the potential of drones as sensors, providing valuable data to enhance situational awareness and improve decision-making in disaster response.

In summary, drones have revolutionised search and rescue operations, offering new capabilities and improving the efficiency of disaster response. As technology continues to advance, the role of drones in these operations will only grow, providing new opportunities to save lives and mitigate the impact of disasters. In the future, we expect drones will be standard resources in the field, capable of being deployed autonomously to the disaster scene, alerting and helping to save more lives of disaster victims.

Sources:

Presse - EGRED 2: Mehr Sicherheit beim Einsatz von Drohnen - BBK