Project objective

The aim of the project is to use an intelligent software solution to automatically locate and count people and analyze their movement profiles.

All information from video cameras, thermal imaging cameras, or GPS transmitters is evaluated and visually processed in near real time. This allows emergency services to use color coding on a 3D site plan to see how high the immediate danger is for a person at their current location. SmartSense&Rescue is to be integrated into existing operational management systems used by authorities and organizations with security tasks, thereby supporting emergency services on site.

Application scenarios

The intelligent technology is designed to reduce the workload of individual emergency responders and is also intended to be more robust and accurate than existing methods.

SmartSense&Rescue is used to locate and rescue missing persons in large areas. This ranges from individual missing persons to disasters and complex damage situations such as floods or industrial fires.

One possible application is the rescue or location of missing or lost persons in large areas. The figure shows an initial approach for the automatic detection of persons using RGB and thermal data from the drone camera. The interesting thermal areas in the scene are examined more closely to search for a possible person.

Statements from participating partners

Eurocommand

By integrating drone images and artificial intelligence directly into command and control software, we can optimize the operations of authorities and organizations with security tasks (BOS).

Technical integration saves both BOS resources and valuable time during an operation. This project successfully combines the currently separate systems of drones and command and control software and further optimizes them through evaluation to enable our customers to carry out successful operations. Integration into an overall system is an important step in the digitalization of authorities and organizations with security tasks (BOS).

Technical University of Berlin

The development and adaptation of these methods is intended, among other things, for scientific exploitation in the form of publications. With these intelligent methods, camera drones will no longer function merely as an “extended eye,” but will be able to support and relieve the burden on emergency services by means of 3D visualization of the operational area.

This research project has the potential to optimize the increasing demand for intelligent technologies, in particular the rapid and automated assessment of a situation.

Cham district, Bavaria

In a district covering an area of 1,520 km² and with around 4,500 volunteer fire department operations, we see particular added value in the area of “person search” scenarios.

In extensive search operations, especially in geographically difficult conditions, it is not uncommon for 100 rescue workers to be deployed. We expect that the use of SS&R will enable us to conduct targeted searches with fewer personnel than is currently the case.

To this end, it is possible to check primarily defined search areas using a drone equipped with SS&R. Rescue personnel can then be directed to specific locations where people have been found.

The great opportunity offered by this project is that this technology can be used to find missing and injured persons more quickly and in a more targeted manner.