An Irish company has created a new type of software that allows people to turn drones into search and rescue platforms. DroneSAR believes that this technology will be an enormous boon to the search and rescue industry, and unlock new potential for commercially used drones.
The app created by DroneSAR is specially constructed to be of ideal use in search and rescue situations. It lets users select an automatic aerial search pattern, which is based on numerous different factors. Everything from altitude, battery life, field of view, and probability of detection is taken into account. These factors help the app to streamline the search, making it as effective as possible.
“Our aim is to save lives. Our software will reduce risk to search teams and reduce search time. If we can save just one life, that is mission success for us at DroneSAR.”
The drones can stream live images and videos thanks to the app. This could prove invaluable in search and rescue missions, giving people on the ground a bird’s eye view of the situation — and a greater chance of locating survivors. Additionally, the app can send instantaneous location information upon locating a survivor, complete with GPS coordinates.
The app logs and shares all completed search patterns, ensuring searchers don’t comb over the same area or neglect other locations. The drone can remain in constant contact with volunteers, providing them with live, up-to-date information and data on the progress of searches.
DroneSAR hopes that by compiling all this data and presenting it in a clear and coherent way, it will drastically cut down on the time it takes to find survivors after a disaster has occurred. According to the group, it can take a five-person rescue team an average of two hours to locate a survivor; with their drone technology that time can drop to a staggering 20 minutes.
There is a huge potential market for this technology, as drones are increasingly being used in search and rescue work. DroneSAR’s app is customizable enough to work with a variety of terrains, making it useful for all sorts of locations. According to the group, DroneSAR is already working to partner with drone organizations so that the app can be implemented as quickly as possible.
