DRONES DEMYSTIFIED

INTO THE AFTERMATH: THE NOBILITY OF DRONES

Key Points:

·     Drones have already been proven successful in aiding in search and rescue.

·     Drones have been used for disaster relief and monitoring in North America, South America, Africa, Europe, and Asia.

·     Mountain rescue teams have stated drones have reduced search times by up to 50%.

In emergency situations, there is a singular factor that stands between life and death – time. In 2018, there were 394 natural disasters that resulted in over 10,000 deaths. Rewind to 2010, there were 395 natural disasters that resulted in over 295,000 deaths. What one event caused such a spike in deaths? It was the earthquake that destroyed Haiti. The magnitude 7.0 earthquake killed over 200,000 people and made more than 1.5 million people homeless. Those statistics are prime examples of how every minute brings with it a chance for a disaster. To mitigate our losses, a new form of hero has been engaged – Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs).

Drones and Earthquakes

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, commonly known as drones, have been deployed worldwide to assist in mitigating the costs caused by disasters. In China, these rescue drones have already been in use for the last decade and have proven themselves effective. In the wake of the 2008 Sichuan earthquake, amidst the fallen buildings and piled up vehicles, drones were tasked with mapping these areas to identify impasses and various other obstacles. This mapping allowed first responders to find safe, fast, and viable routes to reach the victims. Shang Hong, Technology Chief of China’s National Earthquake Response Support Service said, “drones are making finding earthquake survivors faster and easier than ever before”. Time in these situations is crucial, 90% of people located within a half-hour are likely to survive, and with drones, the time constraint poses significantly less of a challenge.

Drones and Avalanches

More recently, drones have been used to save the lives of avalanche victims across Europe and North America. Some mountain rescue teams have stated that drones have reduced search times by up to 50%. Unlike earthquakes, there is significantly less time for rescuers to save the victims. In avalanches, 90% of victims who are freed within 15 minutes survive. However, after the 45-minute mark, the survival rate plumbates to 20%. In all these scenarios, these hero drones are not only equipped with cameras, but also with transceiver detection systems, heat sensors, infrared sensors, and multispectral sensors. 

 More examples of drone rescues:

·     2018 California Wildfires – Massive wildfires in Mendocino and Carr California destroyed over 10,000 structures. To combat the spread of the flames, the California National Guard used drones to track the direction of the wildfire as a part of their strategy to get ahead of it.

·     2018 Indonesia Tsunami – This tsunami displaced thousands and killed hundreds instantly. With many still missing, and structures washed away, officials sent out drones to scan the coastline for survivors and to assess the damage.

·     2017 Hurricane Harvey - The damage from this storm caused approximately $125 billion in damage. In order for this city to recover, the totality of the damage needed to be assessed. The fastest and safest way to achieve that goal was to deploy drones. The FAA permitted more than 40 drones to take to the skies to assess roadway's, water plants, oil refineries, and power lines.

·     2017 Mocoa, Colombia Mudslide – A bad stroke of luck caused a month’s worth of rain to fall in just a few hours, which resulted in a massive landslide that injured 400, killed 200, and left 200 missing. To help in the search, authorities deployed heat seeking enabled drones to penetrate the mounds of dirt to scan for signs of life. 

However, there doesn’t need to be a calamity that prompts drones to be deployed. In everyday life we all have the possibility of facing time-sensitive emergencies. In the summer, as families go on vacations to the beach or water parks, there is always the risk of unintentional drowning. In the US, nearly 1 in 5 people who die from drowning is 14 years old or younger, and for every child that dies, another 5 receive emergency care. In many accidental drowning cases, 10% of adults will witness the situation but do not realize a drowning is happening. Mario Vittone, a former US Coast Guard Officer stated, that there are two phases of drowning. The first phase is when the person is cognizant and can wave for help. The second is when the person is, “vertical in the water, very little or no supporting kick, mostly just arm movement and sort of a lateral splashing down of the water". The first phase lasts a maximum of 30 to 60 seconds; this is the critical window to save a life. With such a small window of time, how can drownings be detected faster?

Drones infused with artificial intelligence is the key. Through the drone's ability to scan a large area, and AI’s ability to recognize the movements of a drowning, the information can be relayed to the lifeguard’s post for immediate action. Besides identifying drownings, drones can also assist in identifying stranded seafarers and sharks in the water. Drones can provide an all-around safer experience for all who want to enjoy the beach!                

How can you help?                                                                                

Mainstream thought dictates that a drone’s purpose is to deliver pizza and goods to your door. As you have seen from the examples above, drones have been proved to have a nobler cause. This technology doesn’t live in the twilight zone. Thirty years ago, this may have been science fiction. Today, drones are flying high in the sky, and will soon touch ground in our lives to make a massive impact. A simple way to start implementing drone technology in your community is to petition your community leaders to create a rescue drone plan and budget. As you’ve read, the use of drones in creating efficiency in emergencies has proved successful in rescues all around the world. The power is with us, the people, to show others the true potential of drones.