Credit: R. Wilson / Nist
When the first speakers have to save people from a house ravaged by the earthquake, they need real -time information. If agents of the police are looking for a shooter in a crowded building, they must learn everything they can on the stage.
Emergency speakers should know where people are and if the building is structurally stable enough to try a rescue.
But timely information can be rare during a natural disaster or other dangerous incident.
In many of these situations, sending an unrelated aircraft system (UAS), also known as drone, in a building can provide vital information by capturing video sequences, identifying potential dangers And by mapping the interior of the building.
NIST drone test
“This cartography technology can allow the first stakeholders to know where there could be potential victims,” said Stephanie Laïque de Nist Public security communication research (PSCR) Division. “These cards can help direct the stakeholders more quickly to know exactly where to send their employees, as well as to map a path to help them recover safely. It’s about saving lives – including the lives of the first speakers. “”
But stealing a UAS inside a building is much more difficult than driving one outside for several reasons. Drones often depend on GPS to stay in a stable position, but they cannot always use it inside. The UASS may also have to move through restricted spaces such as corridors, doors or stairs. In addition, systems must navigate through the turbulence created by their own propellers – Something that also happens with helicopters, according to the director of the NIST robotics program Kamel S. Saidi.
Saidi stressed that if many first stakeholders now have access to affordable drones, it can cost $ 50,000 or more to buy tools that provide detailed information in real time.
A 3D mapping challenge
To encourage the development of more affordable versions of this technology, NIST recently sponsored a 3D room mapping price To help UAS designers and engineers to build systems that can help the first stakeholders while operating in these difficult interior environments.
The challenge asked participants to design a system that could provide high -quality 3D images and cards that could be easily displayed for the commander and the incident pilot, while browsing a complex path through a building. Competitors have collected specific target images in the inner environment, while NIST experts have carried out measures.
Credit:
R. Wilson / Nist
The teams were eligible to win cash prizes and received the help of experts while developing their inventions of the scene from the idea to something that is available in trade.
NIST also organized a test event last year which allowed participants to test their drones in an interior space used to train firefighters in the county of Montgomery, Maryland.
It is akin to an air treasure hunt. The teams received notes on factors such as the number and quality of the images they have collected and their ability to browse the course in the life of the drone battery.
Credit:
R. Wilson / Nist
One of the roles of the NIST in these efforts is to bring together the parties – emergency responder organizations, drone pilots and drone experts – and provide impartial tests for drones and their pilots.
In addition, NIST engineers create means to assess the operation of UAS technology in various environments. These test measures and methods may possibly become standards published through an organization of standards, as is the process works in Other nist areas.
Advance industry
Credit:
R. Wilson / Nist
Competitor Eric Bircher said that the competition had helped his team develop his 3D mapping techniques, which is the key for drones to work for the first stakeholders.
Bircher became interested in drones after seeing a competition on ESPN in 2016. Now he consults in the field and works for a company that delivers food via drones.
“I want to advance the industry with regard to drones in the hands of the first stakeholders. I like to help people and I wanted to be part of this area. So, I thought, why not use my skills to help advance this industry? He said.
Although competition is a step forward for this important work, which has enormous potential to help the first stakeholders work in a variety of difficult interior environments, Saidi says it will take time before this technology is easily Available at a lower price.
“I think more research and development will be necessary to make faster and cheaper 3D mapping technology that can work on small cheap drones. It is happening there, but we have not yet seen the great breakthrough, “he said. “We know that this technology is working on UAS for other industries at a higher price for similar applications. We believe that it is only a matter of time before reliable 3D mapping in real time is available for all budgets and applications. »»