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)