Drone Systems participated in an urban search and rescue (USAR) exercise at the invitation of the Jefferson County (KY) Search Dog Association (JCSDA). This exercise is in preparation for Capstone 2014 Project under direction of the Central U.S. Earthquake Consortium. Read more about the Capstone 2014 Project here. The destruction of a large manufacturing plant in Louisville presented an opportunity for the Search Dog Association to work with their team of scout dogs and handlers along with the Datron Scout.The purpose of the exercise was to understand how a sUAS can provide images of the overall search area for orientation purposes. Two cameras were used to locate "victims" using both color imagery as well as thermal camera images. Col. Bud Dixon of the JCSDA used these images to direct his search teams to the location of the "victims" to speed the recovery process.The exercise proved to be a tremendous success, as it demonstrated how unmanned aerial vehicles provide vital assistance to USAR teams.Author: Drone Systems
