POSSIBILITIES FOR THE USE OF UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES FOR PROTECTION, RESCUE AND RELIEF TASKS

Abstract

The development of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and control and data acquisition systems, and their relative affordability and low maintenance costs, necessitate the adoption of UAVs as a support element of the operation of protection, rescue and relief forces. They are useful in carrying out preventive and intervention actions, as well as during the phase of eliminating the consequences of a natural or other disaster. They allow us to conduct observation, inspection, control, warning, search and rescue, and damage and impact assessments in affected areas, industrial and other facilities, and infrastructure affected by the disaster. They can help us identify potentially hazardous areas. With their help, we can quickly provide responders with high-quality, timely operational information about the situation at the scene. They allow incident commanders to get a better overview of what is happening and how the situation is evolving, and to prioritize tasks. Constraints to UAV use include autonomy (flight duration), night operations, operations in adverse weather conditions, ensuring ongoing and appropriate training of remote pilots, and normative-legal clutter in the operational area.