Unmanned aerial systems (UAS) in urban search and rescue-methodology, capacity development, and integration

2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 33-38
Author(s):  
Ariel Braverman, BSc, RN, EMT-P
Keyword(s):  
Situational Awareness ◽  
Search And Rescue ◽  
Unmanned Aerial Systems ◽  
Urban Search And Rescue ◽  
Emergency Operations ◽  
Ventilation Ducts ◽  
Speed Up ◽  
Modernization Process ◽  
Roadless Areas ◽  
Aerial Systems

This paper’s purpose is to establish a methodological basis for using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) in urban search and rescue (USAR). Modern USAR operations involve the location, rescue (extrication), and initial medical stabilization of individuals trapped in confined spaces or places with complicated access, eg, high structures. As a part of the ongoing modernization process, this paper explores possible options for UAV utilization in USAR operations. Today, UAV are already taking part in support emergency operations all over the world, and possible forms of operation for UAV in USAR environment can be in two primary modes: on-site and logistic chain. The on-site mode includes various capabilities of multilayer UAV array, mostly based on enhanced visual capabilities to create situational awareness and to speed-up search and rescue (SAR) process including using nanodrones for entering into confined places, ventilation ducts, and underground sewer channels can give to rescue teams’ opportunities to have eyes within ruins even before initial clearing process. Cargo drones will be able to bring equipment directly to high floors or roadless areas in comparison to wheeled transportation. The advantages of cargo drones operation are the ability of autonomous flight based on GPS or homing beacon and ability to provide logistics supports without involving additional personnel and vehicles and with no dependence on road conditions.

scholarly journals Identification and Analysis of Microscale Hydrologic Flood Impacts Using Unmanned Aerial Systems

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (10) ◽  
pp. 1549 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jamie L. Dyer ◽  
Robert J. Moorhead ◽  
Lee Hathcock
Keyword(s):  
High Resolution ◽  
Situational Awareness ◽  
Natural Resistance ◽  
Unmanned Aerial Systems ◽  
Hydrologic Models ◽  
River Flooding ◽  
Flood Impacts ◽  
Aerial Systems ◽  
Imaging Sensor ◽  
Scale Surface

The need for accurate and spatially detailed hydrologic information is critical due to the microscale influences on the severity and distribution of flooding, and new and/or updated approaches in observations of river systems are required that are in line with the current push towards microscale numerical simulations. In response, the aim of this project is to define and illustrate the hydrologic response of river flooding relative to microscale surface properties by using an unmanned aerial system (UAS) with dedicated imaging, sensor, and communication packages for data collection. As part of a larger project focused on increasing situational awareness during flood events, a fixed-wing UAS was used to overfly areas near Greenwood, MS before and during a flood event in February 2019 to provide high-resolution visible and infrared imagery for analysis of hydrologic features. The imagery obtained from these missions provide direct examples of fine-scale surface features that can alter water level and discharge, such as built structures (i.e., levees and bridges), natural storage features (low-lying agricultural fields), and areas of natural resistance (inundated forests). This type of information is critical in defining where and how to incorporate high-resolution information into hydrologic models and also provides an invaluable dataset for eventual verification of hydrologic simulations through inundation mapping.

scholarly journals A Laser Scanner And Void Visualizer For Use In A Search And Rescue Environment

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vijay Somers
Keyword(s):  
Situational Awareness ◽  
Laser Scanner ◽  
First Responders ◽  
Search And Rescue ◽  
Urban Search And Rescue ◽  
Slow Speed ◽  
High Resolution Data ◽  
3D Data ◽  
Explosive Devices ◽  
Resolution Data

Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) environments present many risks to emergency first responders. Technologies that can allow people to explore dangerous locations in great detail while being physically separate from them are of great value. This thesis provides an intuitive 3D viewing application called Voidviz for just that purpose, with features specifically designed for USAR and bomb identification. It is tested using 3D data gathered by two devices: a computerized theodolite, and a custom built laser scanner. The theodolite was found to be impractical for scanning dangerous locations due to its low resolution and slow speed, but the custom laser scanner was able to gather high resolution data at a useful speed. This thesis shows that useful data can be derived from sufficiently detailed simulations of voids within building collapses and unexploded explosive devices. This data can be used to increase the situational awareness of first responders.

scholarly journals AiRobSim: Simulating a Multisensor Aerial Robot for Urban Search and Rescue Operation and Training

Sensors ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (18) ◽  
pp. 5223 ◽  
Author(s):  
Junjie Chen ◽  
Shuai Li ◽  
Donghai Liu ◽  
Xueping Li
Keyword(s):  
Situational Awareness ◽  
Satellite System ◽  
Search And Rescue ◽  
Measurement Unit ◽  
Urban Search And Rescue ◽  
Critical Spaces ◽  
Rescue Operation ◽  
Holistic View ◽  
Urban Disaster ◽  
Aerial Robot

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), equipped with a variety of sensors, are being used to provide actionable information to augment first responders’ situational awareness in disaster areas for urban search and rescue (SaR) operations. However, existing aerial robots are unable to sense the occluded spaces in collapsed structures, and voids buried in disaster rubble that may contain victims. In this study, we developed a framework, AiRobSim, to simulate an aerial robot to acquire both aboveground and underground information for post-disaster SaR. The integration of UAV, ground-penetrating radar (GPR), and other sensors, such as global navigation satellite system (GNSS), inertial measurement unit (IMU), and cameras, enables the aerial robot to provide a holistic view of the complex urban disaster areas. The robot-collected data can help locate critical spaces under the rubble to save trapped victims. The simulation framework can serve as a virtual training platform for novice users to control and operate the robot before actual deployment. Data streams provided by the platform, which include maneuver commands, robot states and environmental information, have potential to facilitate the understanding of the decision-making process in urban SaR and the training of future intelligent SaR robots.

scholarly journals Urban Search and Rescue Situational Awareness using DIORAMA Disaster Management System

2015 ◽  
Vol 107 ◽  
pp. 349-356 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aura Ganz ◽  
James M. Schafer ◽  
Jingyan Tang ◽  
Zhuorui Yang ◽  
Jun Yi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Disaster Management ◽  
Management System ◽  
Situational Awareness ◽  
Search And Rescue ◽  
Urban Search And Rescue ◽  
Disaster Management System

Controlling Multiple Unmanned Aircraft from a Manned Helicopter: The Need for Advanced Autonomy and Refined Pilot-Vehicle Interface

2017 ◽  
Vol 61 (1) ◽  
pp. 78-82 ◽  
Author(s):  
Grant S. Taylor ◽  
Thomas J. Alicia ◽  
Terry Turpin ◽  
Amit Surana
Keyword(s):  
Supervisory Control ◽  
Situational Awareness ◽  
Unmanned Aircraft ◽  
Experimental Results ◽  
Unmanned Aerial Systems ◽  
Current Ratio ◽  
One To One ◽  
Aerial Systems

Manned-Unmanned Teaming (MUM-T) is a military concept that employs unmanned aerial systems (UASs) in support of traditional manned aircraft. The current ratio of manned to unmanned aircraft in MUM-T operations is one to one with a goal to expand to multiple UASs to further enhance the capability, but this imposes significant challenges on the operator. To address these challenges, this research implemented automated UAS behaviors combined with a pilot-vehicle interface tailored to provide supervisory control over multiple UASs. Results demonstrated that this combination of technologies allows a single crewmember to effectively manage up to three UASs while executing complex MUM-T tactical missions with manageable workload, improved situational awareness, and improved mission performance. Experimental results also identified areas where the current implementations can be further refined.

scholarly journals Assessment of the Emerging Landscape of Unmanned Aerial Systems in Trinidad and Tobago

2021 ◽  
Vol 44 (1) ◽  
pp. 18-25
Author(s):  
Raid Al-Tahir ◽  
Giatri K. Lalla
Keyword(s):  
Strategic Planning ◽  
Trinidad And Tobago ◽  
Temporal Patterns ◽  
Search And Rescue ◽  
Unmanned Aerial Systems ◽  
Spatial And Temporal Patterns ◽  
Qualitative And Quantitative ◽  
Aerial Systems

Interest in the civilian applications of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) has been growing worldwide, especially in government and commercial tasks such as surveillance, search and rescue, inspection of infrastructure, agriculture, mining, and mapping. Likewise, Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) has been witnessing a growing interest and application of commercial and non-commercial UAS operations. However, there is little assessment for the growth of the UAS market nor is there characterisation of UAS-based activities since the pertinent regulations established in 2016. This study seeks to formally identify the emerging UAS landscape in T&T during the period 2015 to 2019. As such, this study maps and characterises the spatial and temporal patterns of UAS distribution, then appraises the various categories for the existing operations. To achieve these goals, this study utilised qualitative and quantitative techniques of Geoinformatics. The intent for this study is to provide a perspective on the growth and the implications of the UAS industry in T&T, and to guide strategic planning among organisations with a stake in the emergence of UAS into civil airspace.

scholarly journals A Laser Scanner And Void Visualizer For Use In A Search And Rescue Environment

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vijay Somers
Keyword(s):  
Situational Awareness ◽  
Laser Scanner ◽  
First Responders ◽  
Search And Rescue ◽  
Urban Search And Rescue ◽  
Slow Speed ◽  
High Resolution Data ◽  
3D Data ◽  
Explosive Devices ◽  
Resolution Data

Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) environments present many risks to emergency first responders. Technologies that can allow people to explore dangerous locations in great detail while being physically separate from them are of great value. This thesis provides an intuitive 3D viewing application called Voidviz for just that purpose, with features specifically designed for USAR and bomb identification. It is tested using 3D data gathered by two devices: a computerized theodolite, and a custom built laser scanner. The theodolite was found to be impractical for scanning dangerous locations due to its low resolution and slow speed, but the custom laser scanner was able to gather high resolution data at a useful speed. This thesis shows that useful data can be derived from sufficiently detailed simulations of voids within building collapses and unexploded explosive devices. This data can be used to increase the situational awareness of first responders.

Equipment Distribution for Structural Stabilization and Civilian Rescue

2011 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-31 ◽  
Author(s):  
Albert Y. Chen ◽  
Feniosky Peña-Mora ◽  
Saumil J. Mehta ◽  
Stuart Foltz ◽  
Albert P. Plans ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Situational Awareness ◽  
System Development ◽  
Structural Condition ◽  
Fire Service ◽  
Search And Rescue ◽  
Urban Search And Rescue ◽  
Electronic Resource ◽  
Structural Stabilization ◽  
Effective System ◽  
Equipment Operator

The efficiency of Urban Search and Rescue operations depends on the supply of appropriate equipment and resources, and an efficient damage assessment facilitates deployment of these resources. This paper presents an Information Technology (IT) supported system for on-site data collection to communicate structural condition, track search and rescue status, and request and allocate appropriate resources. The system provides a unified interface for efficient gathering, storing, and sharing of building assessment information. Visualization and access of such information enable rescuers to respond to the disaster more efficiently with better situational awareness. The IT system also provides an interface for electronic resource requests to a geospatial resource repository service that enables a spatial disaster management environment for resource allocation. Request and deployment of critical resources through this system enables lifesaving efforts, with the appropriate equipment, operator, and materials, to become more efficient and effective. System development at the Illinois Fire Service Institute has shown promising results.

The Impacts of Multiple Robots and Display Views: An Urban Search and Rescue Simulation

2005 ◽  
Vol 49 (3) ◽  
pp. 387-391 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roger A. Chadwick
Keyword(s):  
Search And Rescue ◽  
Experimental Simulation ◽  
Multiple Robots ◽  
Ground Vehicles ◽  
Urban Search And Rescue ◽  
Emergency Operations ◽  
Simulated Environment ◽  
Air Vehicle ◽  
Single Operator ◽  
Difficult Terrain

The use of remote controlled uninhabited ground vehicles (UGVs) is expanding in military and emergency operations. In operations involving multiple UGVs controlled by a single operator, understanding the psychological implications for operational proficiency with the integration of multiple displayed viewpoints is critical. The current empirical study addresses this issue in an experimental simulation of an urban search and rescue (USAR) operation. Using miniature vehicles in a simulated environment, participants were tasked with searching through difficult terrain to photograph specific targets. In the experiment, the number of UGVs used and the use of an uninhabited air vehicle (UAV) view were manipulated as between participants variables. Results indicate: (1) that the use of two UGVs (in a team mode) is rather inefficient, (2) that using two UGVs did not meaningfully reduce faults, and (3) that the use of a UAV view, and to a lesser extent two UGVs, improved target localization.

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