Search and Rescue Drones

Drone mounted wireless system to be made available for search and rescue operations during fire or if a building collapses.

15:20 17 November 2019

Engineers from the University of Leeds, University of Massachusetts, and Northwestern University in China have designed a prototype drone-mounted wireless scanning system that can detect the whereabouts of people inside a building in the event of fire or if the building collapses. 

 

 

 

The researchers said that the device, which uses long-range radio waves, is capable of scanning deep into the building. The system works like a radar – it sends off signals into the building and rebound off objects. The information gathered is then sent back to a computer and provides the operator details about occupants in the building.   

 

 

 

Dr Zheng Wang, Associate Professor in the at Leeds University, said: “There are limitations to the existing equipment that rescue workers can use when they are conducting search and rescue operations.

 

 

 

“Heat seeking cameras can identify the heat being radiated from a human body but in a blaze there is a high chance the cameras would be incapable of picking out the heat being generated by someone trapped in the building because of the more intense heat being given off by the fire.”