Humanitarian
Aid
Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) has positively revolutionized
sectors like the military in terms of how they conduct certain operations. It also
has provided the entertainment industry with new ways to capture images and
record videos essential to films and tv series. But one of the most important,
is how unmanned systems has revolutionized the way humanitarian groups can help
on the aid of people in distress. The outcome of the missions depends on the
sensors installed in UAS like drones. This blog will focus on the state of the
art in sensor technology for humanitarian aid, the sensor requirements for this
mission, the existing sensors and processing approaches used in humanitarian
aid, the technical challenges that have to be overcome in order for this
application to succeed, as well as the technologies and operational processes that
are being developed that would enable this application.
Humanitarian aid has been benefited by how drones can serve
to delivery cargo. It is essential for those living and working in areas where catastrophes
are taking place, to receive the resources needed for them to survive and to go
back to normality. Specific needs
require specific UAS’s, and this translate to specific sensors. Sensors are brain
and heart of those machines and in order to operate and provide the best service
possible, it is important to count with the best sensors available.
Sensors
For cargo delivery drones to help on humanitarian aid, they need to be
equipped with SONAR sensors, stereo-vision cameras, and LIDAR technology. According to Casey Coombs, it is also
required to count with optical sensors and radio transmitter “In order to activate flaps,
parachutes or compressed air canisters built into the package to alter the
vertical descent path of the package to avoid obstructions, such as trees, or
other structures such as carports, balconies, power lines, eaves, etc." These
features are very important because in areas of difficult access like places
where natural disasters took place, it is important to deliver medicines that may
require to be handle with care or the containers are sensitive to impacts. Those
are the cases of vaccines or first aid supply.
Challenges
Cargo drones regardless of its acceptance and the
tremendous service they, they still present technical challenges that must be
overcome for this application of humanitarian aid to succeed. Three of the most
challenging are collision avoidance, obstacle detection, and weight.
For drone operators it is not only important to avoid
a collision with other drones, property, and vehicles, but also with people. As
a result of drones being unmanned, no human operator on board, it is very difficult
to stay clear of collisions. Cargo delivery drones must be able to fly long
distances out of sight of a human operator (Braasch, 2016). Regardless if
drones are equipped with cameras that provide video transmission, this is
limited a range of a few miles. This the case of civil drone video transmission
technology (Braasch, 2016).
The success of the mission also depends on how drones will
detect obstacles. It is important to differentiate between people, infrastructure,
and any other natural or animal obstruction. Not only the drone can result in
getting damage as a result of the failure to detect any obstruction, but also
the content it carries. Imagine you are living in a place that has become almost
inaccessible due to a hurricane and the only way your diabetic child can
receive his insulin is through the drone. If the drone fails to detect the obstacles
on its way, unfortunately this child won’t be able to receive his medication on
time and this could lead to complications. The examples are endless.
Another
challenge cargo delivery drones used for humanitarian aid face, is its weight
limitation. The challenge is influenced
by several factors like motor power, propeller size, number of propellers,
battery type, frame weight, and the UAV’s operating altitude above sea level
(Aitken, 2015). But probably the biggest problem is battery capacity. For battery
powered drones it is essential to count with enough power to fly not only from
A to point B but also to provide power to the propeller thrust needed to
counter the force of gravity.
Possible Solutions
A
possible solution to take into consideration for the collision avoidance and obstacle
detection problems is to consider developing autonomous drones. Drones capable
of making decisions without the need of a remote pilot. In areas where weather conditions do not permit
the cameras to show a clear view of the area or after loosing track or contact
with the drone, still it will be possible to count with a drone that will do
the job and reach its destination without problems.
It
is also recommended to resource to the drone with the best obstacle avoidance
system, the new DJI
Mavic Pro 2 and Mavic 2 Zoom. Two of the most relevant features of
the Mavic 2 is that it can fly not only behind or in front of obstacles but
also around them, it also counts with obstacle detection all 6 sides of the
drone (Corrigan, 2018). In the case of the DJI it counts with new cameras, superb
stabilization, 5 directions of obstacle sensing and 4 directions of obstacle
avoidance, which is outstanding. It also has many intelligent
flight modes, super smooth stability and top 4k camera
(Corrigan, 2018). The solution for the weight problem will come, when the
power source of drones become smaller to the point the weight of the energy
source won’t become a weight problem.
The weight that previously was occupied by the energy source will then be
used for cargo.
Technology it is also about perfectionating and looking
to the future for better options to offer. Humanitarian aid cargo drones are
not the exception. The tremendous help they provide will inspire more scientist,
engineers, and UAS’s enthusiast to look for better solutions for the problems encountered.
Sources:
Aitken, Ricardo. (2015). How much weight can delivery
drones carry? Unmanned Cargo. Retrieved
from http://unmannedcargo.org/how-much-weight-can-delivery-drones-carry/
Braasch, M. (2016). Obstacle avoidance: The challenge
for drone package delivery. The Conversation.
Retrieved from
http://theconversation.com/obstacle-avoidance-the-challenge-for-drone-package-delivery-70241
Coombs, C. (2017). Amazon patents fly-by drone package
delivery technology (Images). Puget Sound
Business Journal. Retrieved from https://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2017/02/15/amazon-patents-fly-by-drone-package-delivery.html
Corrigan, F. (2018). 12
Top Collision Avoidance Drones And Obstacle Detection Explained. Drone Zon. Retrieved
from https://www.dronezon.com/learn-about-drones-quadcopters/top-drones-with-obstacle-detection-collision-avoidance-sensors-explained/
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