christopher.shiny
Member
A new survey claims that civilian drones are now saving one life per week on average. BILL READ FRAeS looks at the potential of drones in search and rescue operations and what more help they could offer in the future.
In recent years, drones have often had a bad press from tabloid headlines on ‘killer drones’ used in military conflicts to safety and privacy concerns arising from the profileration of commercial drones.
However, a new survey - commissioned by commercial drone manufacturers DJI Technology - is keen to stress the positive side of unmanned systems. Entitled Lives Saved: A Survey of Drones in Action, the report focuses on situations in which drones have been used in a positive role - to save lives.
The report describes how unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) can now enable people to accomplish tasks faster, more efficiently, at a lower cost and (in many cases) more safely than in the past. However, it continues, the most consequential use of drones may be to save and protect human life.
Send in the drones
For firefighters, rescue squads and search operations, drones offer an unprecedented way to quickly locate missing people with cameras or thermal imaging sensors, as well as bringing them emergency supplies, such as water, life jackets, medicine and rescue ropes. Drones also can also provide an eye in the sky to monitor and protect rescue personnel during fires and operations without exposing them to danger and narrow the area where human searchers need to put themselves at risk, speeding up the rescue effort and increasing the odds of survival.
Life savers
The DJI report publishes what it claims to be the first list of lives saved with assistance from drones based on a search of news media reports from around the world. According to the list, there were 18 reported incidents in which at least 59 lives were saved through the use of drones.
In recent years, drones have often had a bad press from tabloid headlines on ‘killer drones’ used in military conflicts to safety and privacy concerns arising from the profileration of commercial drones.
However, a new survey - commissioned by commercial drone manufacturers DJI Technology - is keen to stress the positive side of unmanned systems. Entitled Lives Saved: A Survey of Drones in Action, the report focuses on situations in which drones have been used in a positive role - to save lives.
The report describes how unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) can now enable people to accomplish tasks faster, more efficiently, at a lower cost and (in many cases) more safely than in the past. However, it continues, the most consequential use of drones may be to save and protect human life.
Send in the drones
For firefighters, rescue squads and search operations, drones offer an unprecedented way to quickly locate missing people with cameras or thermal imaging sensors, as well as bringing them emergency supplies, such as water, life jackets, medicine and rescue ropes. Drones also can also provide an eye in the sky to monitor and protect rescue personnel during fires and operations without exposing them to danger and narrow the area where human searchers need to put themselves at risk, speeding up the rescue effort and increasing the odds of survival.
Life savers
The DJI report publishes what it claims to be the first list of lives saved with assistance from drones based on a search of news media reports from around the world. According to the list, there were 18 reported incidents in which at least 59 lives were saved through the use of drones.