Detection of victims with UAVs during wide area Search and Rescue operations

Finding victims after devastating earthquakes is a challenging task. In response to these challenges, a European-Japanese consortium initiated the EU Horizon-2020 project CURSOR (*). Its primary objective is to develop an innovative Search and Rescue (SAR) Kit that will be mobile, quick to deploy and easy to operate. An important component of the SAR Kit is the CURSOR Drone Fleet (CDF). This paper describes the advantages and the limitations of the CDF, consisting of Tethered Mothership Drone (MD), Ground Penetrating Radar Drone (GPRD), Advanced Situational Awareness Drone (ASAD), Transport Drone (TD) and Modelling Drones (MOD). More specifically, the inherent technical and logistical limitations of the CDF are analyzed in relation to the current state-of-the-art (SOTA) technology, such as: (1) drone take-off weight optimization, (2) impact of no-fly zones and electronic stray signals, and (3) meteorological conditions (ambient air temperature, wind speed, gustiness). CDF provides First Responders (FR) on scene with (a) continuous drone-based aerial surveillance up to 100 m above ground; (b) aerial photos, HD video and thermal images of the disaster area; (c) radar-based information on potential survivors buried under rubble; and (d) 3D model of the disaster area with low- or high resolution. The proposed CDF in the CURSOR Kit is demonstrated as a key component in improving operational effectiveness of field teams in future SAR missions.