Welcome! (Introduction)

We're in the center of one of the biggest technological revolutions in the history, and this rolls into all aspects of life as we know it. When a major disaster strikes, the first thing that must be done is to asses the damage and search for those who need help. Up until recently, we've relied on satellites for this purpose. Now we have an alternate method.

 When the Oso landslide struck in 2014, a company called PrecisionHawk used their Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (or UAV's) to survey the damage and collect images needed by geologists in order to safely infiltrate the disaster. They were able to do this in a matter of hours, and didn't have to risk any lives in order to gather their data.

Using UAV's to assist in disaster recovery is becoming more and more common, and for a number of benefits. However there is always a downside, and that is true for the use of drones in rescue efforts as well. In this blog, we will discuss the downsides and positives of UAV use, and look specifically at a few different circumstances in which UAV's were used.

UAVs after the Fukushima Daiyichi Disaster

After the March 11, 2011 earthquake in Japan, a crisis began that was exceptional in many ways. Following the earthquake, the nuclear reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi power plant suffered failure to their cooling systems and massive meltdowns followed.  The resulting level of radiation was (and still is) too dangerous for people to get near.  Although there have been no fatalities yet, it is estimated that 130-640 people will eventually die of cancer as a result of radiation exposure.  The seriousness of the high levels of radiation has necessitated that alternate methods of inspecting the plants.  

Initially, the plants were inspected by small multi-rotor UAVS as well as helicopters.  However, UAVS present an obvious advantage in that they can go in lower than 1000 feet to get a better view. 

Since the intitial UAV flights, additional technology has been developed to make the surveying missions more effective.  One such drone is the six-propeller UAV that uses lasers that can detect the drone's orientation inside the reactor as it flies.  This is an innovation that separates it from earlier drones.  Additionally, the six-rotor drone has the ability to change its own batteries automatically -- a feature that helps prevent worker exposure to radiation.

Pro's and Con's of the Use of UAVs

Obviously there are benefits and downsides to using drones to assist areas in trouble. Typically when you think of drones, you think of a electric bird peeking in through your curtains. However their use is obvious in rescue efforts. So let's list out the benefits and the downsides!

Pro's

• Up until recently, images of distraught countries were obtained through satellites. Satellites have a high number of limitations, including cost, data sharing restrictions, cloud cover, and time needed to acquire the image. These are all issues that do not restrict drones.
• Unlike satellites, the public can actually own drones. This means that disaster-affected areas can launch their own UAVs in response to a crisis. Many companies are actively trying to to include the community in their humanitarian responses. Compare it to the use of social media to gain traction, like the Ice Bucket Challenge theoretically raised money for ALS.
• UAVs can capture aerial imagery at a far higher resolution, and they are able to do it at a quicker pace and a lower cost.
• Because drones are unmanned, drones can access difficult areas and gather data that would be considered unsafe or impossible to reach.

Con's

• There is a really significant stigma surrounding drones, either as invasive or machines of war. It's this sigma that has caused legislation action from some states, such as Seattle's recent choice to remove the police department's drone program.
• For drones to be part of the emergency protocol, hobbyists need to avoid irresponsible behavior that would increase this stigma and overshadow the benefits from UAVs.
• If a drone is being used as a emergency tool, it will need certifications and authorization. This is something that isn't required when UAVs are being used as toys.
• In order to implement something like this, there are a lot of barriers that need to be hurdled, such as collision avoidance, command, and control support. 

Basically... 

The biggest issues with using drones for humanitarian aid are the public perception of drones, as well as the basic problems that surround implementing a whole new system of this caliber. This is to be expected, and it's important to keep in mind that we're not currently discussing the complete and total takeover of drones. We're talking entirely about using unmanned aircraft to bring water to stranded hikers, or search for survivors of a hurricane, and you would be hard-pressed to find someone who thinks that this is a bad thing.

Overview of UAVs used in Humanitarian Aid

Disclaimer:  What you are about to see is a dramatization

But if you prefer raw footage:

UAViators: Humanitarian UAV Network

UAViators is a humanitarian network that is made of over 2,500 members in more than 80 countries with the goal of providing a framework for UAV use, deployment, training, and establishing all of the required guidelines that allow for UAV use in aid missions.

UAViators has assisted with many damage assessments related to hurricanes, earthquakes, and fires.  For example, the T-Hawk Micro UAV, developed by Honeywell, was used to conduct the surveillance of the Fukushima Dai-Ichi nuclear power station disaster because the levels of radiation were far too unsafe for any human.  Because of the photographs that were captured, the Tokyo Electric Power isolate the radiation leaks and make plans of how to deal with them.   The T-Hawk weighs roughly 18.5 pounds, can travel at a maximum speed of 81 mph for a length of 40 minutes.  It can also operate at 10,500 feet.   This versatile UAV is also used in seeking out roadside bombs and other hazards. 

To become a member of the UAV network is not as simple as just going out and purchasing a drone. An operator must become intimately familiar with the flightworthiness of their drone, the UAV regulations of the country they are operating in, and whether the radio spectrum is considered a sovereign territory according to the law.  The operator must only operate on specific allowed frequencies when they are gathering footage.  In addition, there is a strict permitting process that each operator must undertake in order to show their utmost compliance. Any operator participating in an effort overseas is required to connect immediately with the other country’s coordination body.

To be a member of a UAViators team, operators must be legal, ethical, and follow a clearly-defined mission statement.  

This is footage of a volcano that a UAV operator in Iceland linked from the UAViators Crisis Map (shown above)

UAVs in the Philippines after Typhoon Haiyan

In 2013, when super-typhoon Haiyan struck in the central Phillipines, the destruction was unimaginable with 6,340 fatalities.  One of the strongest tropical cyclones ever recorded, the wake of destruction was one in which UAVs played an interesting role in assessing the damage.  Because government aid would not be issued without an assessment of the damage, a Prescott, Arizona based company called Swift Radioplanes, LLC was able to create aerial maps of the damage.  In the course of seven days, the team used two Lynx Unmanned Aerial Systems to gather thousands of high-resolution images that were composited into maps for use in the Philippine government. 

It unfortunate to consider that people living in these hard-hit villages would have otherwise waited for long spans of time to receive any aid.  Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) needed to have some situational awareness in order to carry out planning of aid camps, and to get aerial views of infrastructure damage such as downed power lines, road damage, and any other hazards.  UAVs were instrumental in planning emergency areas and relief distribution networks.

One challenge presenting itself to the UAV operators was finding a launch and recovery site for fixed-wing UAVs.  As an alternative, multi-rotor helicopter UAVs were used.

Ultimately, the use of UAVs in the typhoon-devastated areas proved to be a humanitarian success story since the satellite images that existed for the area were outdated, blurry, and inadequate for the formation of much-needed shelters.   

What We've Learned (Conclusion)

As we progress more and more as a society, we're going to be forced to adapt. And while UAV's are currently fighting a social stigma and bureaucratic push back, we believe that drones will continue to integrate themselves more and more into our lives. We are already seeing drones used to deliver packages, as well as their uses in disaster relief that have been expanded upon previously. After researching the uses of drones in the humanitarian field, we firmly believe that UAV's are the future. While there are some excellent points being made in opposition to UAV's, the ability to prevent the loss of human life is more important. Assuming that they are able to overcome their hurdles, they will become invaluable tools in surveying dangerous, war-torn or disaster-stricken areas.