Application of Quadcopters within Public Safety

[rggerlach]

I am exploring options for a quadcopter for emergency/disaster operations. As the Director for Emergency Management for Hempfield Township, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, USA; I feel this technology can potentially be used to save lives or prevent harm to others. Some examples of the application of quadcopters for emergency management I can see are:

• Search and Rescue
  • Would require night vision and infrared optics
• HazMat
  • Instead of sending people to read the placard, send a quadcopter
• Police
  • Similar to search and rescue, but for the “bad guys”
• Code Enforcement/Inspections
  • Building and bridge inspection without placing a person on a ladder or other potentially dangerous situation
• Emergency Management
  • Situational awareness
  • Damage assessment after disaster
• Fire
  • Better view of incident
  • Infrared can locate area of fire, thus an efficient use of resources

These are just a few situations I can see quacopters applied within public safety to either take the risk from human life or efficiently manage resources.

The problem is commercially available quadcopters designed for these application in mind were developed for the military and have a price tag near or above $15,000. THAT is not within my budget.

I am reaching out to your forum to see if someone can guide me towards a reasonably priced solution or other scenario. I see this becoming a tool used frequently by public safety in the future and now is its infancy.

Some specification I would suggest for a public safety quadcopter:

• Flight time = at least 45 minutes
  • Removable battery for quick change on the scene for extended operations.
• FPV (First Person View) for “pilot” that is recordable
  • Second Camera that is able to stream (and movable) to a laptop for real-time viewing

Other specifications I would like, but not 100% needed:

• Intrinsically safe electrically (so it would not ignite flammable gasses)
• Have a two way speaker system to the pilot, or other person, could speak from the quadcopter to a crowd, etc and hear what they are saying.
  • For example: Search and Rescue – the pilot can ask the lost person if they are injured and give instructions to the lost person.

So, anyone out there know where I can find this or is there anyone out there able to build one? I do not have a large budget, but would be willing to partner to advertise and promote your product within the industry!

Please contact me:

Robert G. Gerlach
Director of Emergency Management, Hempfield Township
rgerlach@hempfieldema.com
724-834-7232, ext. 107​

 

[Old Man]

Will be contacting you shortly.

 

[Benjamin Kenobi]

Hi mate,

15,000 is about right to be honest. The Hugin X1 does much of what you have asked for (except the speaker bit!). You can build a small quadcopter from commercially available parts quite cheaply ($1000?) but the infrared will cost a bit more. 45 minutes is also quite a long flight time for today's battery technology.

Sorry I couldn't be more help. :nevreness: