DroneControl recently participated in a successful training operation led by the Bad Salgau Fire Department in Germany, demonstrating the vital role that drones can play in search and rescue missions. The exercise, designed to simulate the search for missing persons, involved over 60 personnel from three fire departments. Each team collaborated seamlessly, showcasing how modern technology like drones can enhance emergency response.
The objective of the exercise was to locate six missing individuals within a 5km² area, featuring diverse and challenging terrains. To achieve this, three specialized drone teams, one from each fire station, were deployed. Each team was assigned a specific sector to search, ensuring complete coverage of the operation zone:
Team 1 - Tasked with scanning vast farm fields and cornfields with heights ranging from 6ft to 8ft.
Team 2 - Focused on a combination of cornfields and densely wooded areas, increasing the complexity of the search.
Team 3 - Assigned the most varied terrain, consisting of a dense forest and a river, requiring both aerial and ground coordination.
A central command center managed and coordinated the entire operation, receiving real-time data streams from the drones and ensuring that every part of the operation was meticulously documented.
Each drone team was paired with a ground-based search team, who monitored the live video feed provided by the drones on-site. The command center also had access to these streams, allowing for an overarching view of the mission's progress. This dual-viewing system made it possible for ground teams to act swiftly once a missing person was located.
In just 1.5 hours, all six missing persons were found and safely rescued, highlighting the efficiency of the drone-supported operation.
DroneControl played a pivotal role in the success of the training mission. Key features that contributed to the operation include:
- Real-Time Streaming: The live video feed from each drone allowed both the ground search teams and the command center to maintain constant surveillance of the search area. This reduces the stress factor on the drone pilot as there are multiple eyes responsible for spotting any potential points of interest.
- Thermal Imaging: Crucial in detecting heat signatures for the pilot but also the command centre, especially in dense areas like forests and tall cornfields, where visibility was limited.
- what3words Location Sharing: Each time a missing person was located, using DroneControl’s unique integration with the drone’s laser range finder, the precise what3words coordinates were able to be instantly shared with the ground teams, the command center, and the documentation team. This enabled quick, accurate responses from the ground rescue teams, minimizing the time needed to reach the individuals.
It was great to see DroneControl significantly enhanced the speed and efficiency of the Bad Salgau Fire Department's training operation. With the ability to stream live footage, detect heat signatures with thermal imaging, and provide accurate location data via what3words, we are proud to demonstrate our value to our first responder partners as an indispensable tool in search and rescue missions.
Many thanks to the Bad Salgau Fire Department for inviting the DroneControl team to observe this vital training exercise!
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