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NASA technology has been aiding the search and rescue operations and damage assessment in the wake of Hurricane Harvey, which hit Houston, Texas on Saturday, August 26th.
Now, as operations move into the recovery phase, drones developed and flight tested at NASA Armstrong Flight Centre in California are being used in a way that fulfills the purpose that researcher Ricardo Arteaga and his team had intended from the start - to help people.
“When I saw the disturbing images of the flood area, people in distress and danger on the news broadcasts, I had to act,” Arteaga said. “We have performed several years of successful simulations and flight tests. The technology is ready to use and I felt it should be in Houston.”
The drones enabled personnel to get a bird’s eye view of the Houston disaster areas left by Hurricane Harvey.
According to a NASA statement, Arteaga called Kraetti Epperson, CEO of Vigilant Aerospace Systems of Oklahoma City, and asked him if he could use the technology to assist with the search and rescue mission in Houston. Within the hour, Epperson was packed and on his way.
A group of eight volunteer UAS pilots were trained in Houston to use the technology on their eight aircraft in support of their humanitarian flights for the Federal Emergency Management Agency and other organizations to help in relief efforts and document damage.
“We believe that drones can and should play a critical role in disaster relief because they provide immediate access to better data, mapping and situational awareness in a way that is safer, faster and less costly than other methods of assessment,” said Epperson in a statement.
Drones equipped with the right technology are ready for search and rescue missions, Arteaga said, and in the future, they will be able to carry out more complex missions such as getting medical supplies and rescue equipment to people in distress in areas too dangerous for people to access.
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