Already since 2013, @fire has been using drones during oper­a­tions to gather infor­ma­tion across the differ­ent command levels. From live image overview in initial oper­a­tions to aerial recon­nais­sance and, for exam­ple, dyke moni­tor­ing using area drones. The focus here is not only on aerial image trans­mis­sion in real time, but also in partic­u­lar on tech­niques and possi­bil­i­ties for data process­ing, cartog­ra­phy and model­ling. The goals are, in partic­u­lar, the aerial recon­nais­sance of damage areas and the provi­sion of up-to-date infor­ma­tion for better decision-making.

Octocopter in action

Based on time-delayed record­ings and terrain surveys, disper­sion and damage scenar­ios can be deter­mined, deploy­ment tactics derived and deploy­ment successes eval­u­ated. Wide-area images enable rapid explo­ration of access routes and destroyed infra­struc­tures. Detailed images of debris struc­tures enable further assess­ment of damage and response measures via 3d models.