A police department funds drones for response to 911 calls, paramedics in manned drones, public perception of drones, the U.S. government warns of drone attacks, a puffing drone, a heterogeneous drone swarm, and landing a UAV on a submarine.
Brookhaven, Georgia will be using drones as part of its first responder program. The police department’s UAS unit was funded for four drones to respond to 911 calls, witness crimes in progress, conduct investigations, and document crime scenes.Reportedly, Brookhaven would be the second U.S. city to adopt this program. The Chula Vista Police Department in California was the first in 2018.
Danish company Falck was founded in 1906 to provide fire, medical, and rescue services. They hope for a crewed UAS to deliver a first responder who can assess the situation and provide real-time triage.
The ResponDrone Project is developing a situational awareness system for emergencies and twelve focus groups were conducted in six countries. The focus groups showed weak knowledge of the use of drones, including some negative feedback on drones relating to privacy issues. ResponDrone “recommends that emergency drones carry special identification, such as a specific colour or a logo, make distinctive sounds or have unique lights. Further, it is recommended that the residents are informed about flights and drills beforehand.”
An ominous announcement came from @TravelGov, the official Twitter for the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Consular Affairs:
#SaudiArabia: The Embassy is tracking reports of possible missiles or drones that may be headed toward Riyadh today, October 28. Stay alert. If you hear a loud explosion or if sirens are activated, immediately seek cover.
Later, @TravelGov tweeted that the alert had passed.
ATLAS Institute at the University of Colorado Boulder has developed a quadcopter with a shield that expands to become half of a Hoberman Sphere. The shield protects the craft and reduces the impact on barriers.
Video: PufferBot: Actuated Expandable Structures for Aerial Robots
