How Can Drones Help in a Natural Disaster?
The recent earthquake in California had a magnitude of 7.1, resulting in shattered bottles, and it even left a crack in the earth. The damage from earthquakes can range from minor to severe. While the shake itself might be terrifying, objects can fall, causing chaos in a city. During this chaos, people might go missing or get stuck under pieces of buildings and other debris that have fallen. Like quakes, any natural disaster can be dangerous, but drone security can help.
Drones for Emergency Response and Disaster Management
Drones can play a crucial role in various aspects of natural disaster response. The versatility and agility of drones make them valuable tools in natural disaster response, helping to save lives, reduce response time, and improve the efficiency of relief efforts. Here are several ways in which drones can be helpful in times of calamity.
Using drones to find survivors and navigate disaster zones when time is short and the situation is dire
Severe natural disasters can cause chaos in the streets, and many people even go missing. One of the biggest benefits drones offer? The ability to find survivors by quickly navigating zones that you may not be able to on foot. Often, people can get stuck under debris from a natural disaster, making it difficult for others to find them. However, drones can see in-between places where people can’t, making finding survivors in dire situations easier.
Using unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) to locate potential “roadblocks.”
Drones, or UAS, can help determine choke points that could inhibit rescue efforts. If roads are damaged after a natural disaster, it can be harder to rescue people. When vehicles can’t cross into specific zones, it may take them longer to get to individuals who need help. Drones can be used to find potential roadblocks and help navigate a safer, more efficient route. They can identify:
- Damaged roads
- Loose towers
- Downed bridges
- Collapsed tunnels
Assess damage to buildings
UAS can be used to provide a detailed assessment of damage to:
- Schools
- Apartment buildings
- Hospitals
- Other population-dense locations
After a natural disaster like an earthquake, it is vital to determine the safety of buildings that may have been affected. Natural disasters can compromise the structure of the building. Drones can be used to assess this damage. With high-definition cameras, drones can get into smaller spaces than humans to determine whether or not a building is safe.
Reference for deployment
Drones can get an aerial view, similar to a helicopter. With this view, drones can be used as a reference for the deployment of rescue personnel. Not only can drones be used to map the most efficient routes, but they can also assess an entire area in real-time to find where rescue troops can be deployed to improve the chances of rescue.
Improve prediction capabilities and public communications to reduce the impact of calamities
If a person is trapped under rubble, it may take a lot of human resources to get them out. In some situations, it may not be possible to check under every rock. Rescuers must make predictions as to where people in need might be and how to get to them. Drones improve these prediction capabilities by being able to reach places where people may not be able to go.
With a built-in voice box, drones are also able to communicate with people on the ground. They can notify the public about which areas are safe and where they can go, while also being able to communicate with those involved in the rescue efforts.
Drones: The Economical Solution
Drones cost nothing except for the battery, making them much more inexpensive than helicopters. Helicopters are an hourly-based cost and can’t reach all of the nooks and crannies that drones can. They also cannot fly close to the ground, making drones a much more effective method for rescue efforts.
