UAVs for Indonesian Rescue Missions

UAVs for Indonesian Rescue Missions

050106-N-4166B-061 Meulaboh, Sumatra, Indonesia (Jan. 6, 2005) - An aerial view of Tsunami-stricken Meulaboh, Sumatra, Indonesia. Helicopters assigned to Carrier Air Wing Two (CVW-2) and Sailors from Abraham Lincoln are supporting Operation Unified Assistance, the humanitarian operation effort in the wake of the Tsunami that struck South East Asia. The Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group is currently operating in the Indian Ocean off the waters of Indonesia and Thailand. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate Airman Jordon R. Beesley (RELEASED)

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The use of UAVs for mapping disaster areas, evaluating the damage, monitoring wide range fires or earthquakes, especially in areas that cannot be accessed otherwise, has become more and more frequent in many countries. In addition, UAVs on rescue missions can drop food, water and essential supplies to people in need of assistance in the aftermath of a disaster.

The Indonesian National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) continues its efforts to improve the disaster and humanitarian response by integrating drones or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

The UAVs are helping the agency map the disaster areas and identify the disaster potential that will enable a quick response and proper anticipation: “The use of drones can save time, cost, the number of personnel deployed in the field and minimize the risk” the Head of Information and Data Center at the agency, Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, said recently to plenglish.com

The agency will cooperate with several drone enthusiasts or community members to integrate UAVs into the disaster response. BNPB has been cooperating with a couple of other Indonesian state agancies, the Geospatial Information Agency (BIG) and the Technology Assessment and Application Agency (BPPT) for analyzing data and mapping the disaster area.

Sutopo said the technology of UAVs has been developing fast and that its application for humanitarian disaster relief is pushing the boundaries of how aerial imagery technology, with GPS and high resolution images, can reshape the ability to respond to disasters rapidly.