These Drones Save Lives!

Last fall, northern California was shrouded in smoke. The Camp Fire, as it came to be called, raged in Butte County for two weeks. Hazardous air quality forced schools—some up to 100 miles away—to close for several days. It was the sixth deadliest wildfire in U.S. history, leaving 18,000 structures destroyed, 5 firefighters injured, and at least 85 people dead.

As firefighters got the blaze under control, they turned to their newest tool: drones. A team of firefighters, police, rescue personnel, and private companies used the remotely operated aerial vehicles to take over 70,000 images of the scorched areas. Then they combined all this data to map the damage.  

Last fall, northern California was blanketed by smoke. The Camp Fire, as it came to be called, burned in Butte County for two weeks. Smoke in the air made it dangerous to breathe outside. Schools up to 100 miles away had to close for several days. More than 18,000 buildings were destroyed, 5 firefighters were injured, and at least 85 people died. It was the sixth deadliest wildfire in U.S. history.

As firefighters worked to control the blaze, they used a new tool to help. They flew drones, or remotely operated flying vehicles, over the fire. A team of firefighters, police, rescue workers, and private companies used the drones to take more than 70,000 photos of the burned areas. Then they combined all this data to map the damage.

Many fire departments have also started using drones during wildfires. Traditionally, fire departments send piloted helicopters and aircraft to get aerial views of a forest fire. But flying these larger crafts can be extremely expensive and put the operators’ lives in danger.

“There’s less risk and it’s much cheaper for me to operate a drone,” says Paul Roberts, the division chief of special operations at the Boise Fire Department. They were authorized to use drones last summer.

But wildfires aren’t the only places where drones can help in an emergency. People are using them to quickly assess damage from earthquakes and flooding. They also scan disaster areas to help search-and-rescue parties. For example, if a building’s roof is about to collapse, drones can quickly relay that information to emergency response teams. “All the real-time information is extremely valuable for us to make critical decisions with limited time,” says Roberts.

Read on to learn more about lifesaving drones taking to the skies!

Many fire departments have also started using drones during wildfires. Traditionally, fire departments have human pilots fly helicopters and other aircraft over forest fires. This gives the departments important information about where fires have spread. But flying these larger aircrafts can be extremely expensive. It can also put the pilots’ lives in danger.

“There’s less risk and it’s much cheaper for me to operate a drone,” says Paul Roberts. He’s in charge of special operations at the Boise Fire Department. His department started using drones last summer.

Wildfires aren’t the only emergencies where drones can be helpful. People are using them to quickly survey damage from earthquakes and floods. Drones also scan disaster areas to help search-and-rescue parties. For example, if a building’s roof is about to collapse, drones can spot the problem quickly. That information helps emergency response teams determine what to do next. “All the real-time information is extremely valuable for us to make critical decisions with limited time,” says Roberts.

Read on to learn more about how drones are taking to the skies to save lives!

For almost four years, Dr. Timothy Amukele has run test flights at Johns Hopkins University’s Medical Drone program. But back in 2017, he flew “the big one.” Amukele watched as a drone carrying 42 vials of blood took off from an Arizona airfield in the middle of the desert. The human blood samples endured a three-hour flight over 161 miles—a little more than traveling from Philadelphia to Washington, D.C. It was the farthest medical drone flight in history.

Delivering medical lab samples, like blood or urine, is a lot like shipping food, Amukele explains. Heat or humidity can spoil medical samples just as it can eggs or milk. That’s why Amukele and his team designed a cooling system that can keep the blood samples stable while being carried by a drone over long distances. 

Dr. Timothy Amukele works in Johns Hopkins University’s Medical Drone program. He has run test flights for almost four years. But back in 2017, he flew “the big one.” Amukele watched as his drone took off from an airfield in the Arizona desert. It was carrying 42 vials of human blood. The blood samples took a three-hour flight over 161 miles. That’s a little farther than traveling from Philadelphia to Washington, D.C. It was the farthest medical drone flight in history.

Medical samples, like blood or urine, help doctors diagnose and treat diseases. But delivering the samples to the labs that analyze them can be tricky. It’s a lot like shipping food, Amukele explains. Just like eggs or milk, medical samples can spoil in too much heat or humidity. That’s why Amukele and his team designed a special cooling system. It can keep blood samples stable while a drone carries them over long distances. 

Drone systems like the one Amukele is working on could give rural Americans and those who live in remote areas around the world better access to health care. This would help save lives, Amukele says. There’s already a company called Zipline that is using drones for medical deliveries in the African country of Rwanda.

“Although it’s invisible, there’s this whole world of samples going back and forth all the time,” Amukele says. “The vision I see is that drones would play a part in that.”

Drone systems like the one Amukele is working on could help people who don’t live near hospitals. That includes rural Americans and people in remote areas around the world. Flying samples from these areas to test labs could help patients get quicker treatment. This would help save lives, Amukele says. One company, called Zipline, is already using drones for medical deliveries in the African country of Rwanda.

“Although it’s invisible, there’s this whole world of samples going back and forth all the time,” Amukele says. “The vision I see is that drones would play a part in that.”

When the volcano Kilauea erupted in Hawaii in May 2018, volcanologist Einat Lev was on the scene. As rivers of lava gushed down the sides of the volcano, she remotely piloted her research drone to capture detailed pictures of the eruption.   

At any given moment, there are about 10 to 20 volcanoes erupting on the planet, says Lev. She is based at Columbia University in New York City but has traveled around the world observing volcanoes in the Galápagos, Chile, and Iceland.

In May 2018, the volcano Kilauea erupted in Hawaii. Volcano scientist Einat Lev was on the scene. As rivers of lava gushed down the sides of the volcano, she remotely piloted a research drone over it. This allowed her to capture detailed pictures of the eruption.  

At any given moment, about 10 to 20 volcanoes around the world are erupting, says Lev. She is based at Columbia University in New York City. But she has traveled around the world to study volcanoes in Ecuador, Chile, and Iceland. 

By using drones to track lava flows during and after an eruption, Lev can create detailed digital models of an area’s terrain and elevation. She flies drones carrying both high-resolution and thermal cameras at various heights to get the images she needs. “Now we can really map the lava flow in detail and see what that means for the physical properties of the lava,” she says.

The drones help her team understand the behavior of the lava, like how fast it moves through the environment. This data can help people better prepare for future volcanic activity. “If there’s going to be another eruption at this place, it can help show what it’s going to be like,” says Lev.

Lev uses drones to track lava flows during and after an eruption. This helps her create detailed digital models of an area’s terrain. She flies drones that carry both high-resolution and heat-sensing cameras. They survey the volcano from various heights to get the images she needs. “Now we can really map the lava flow in detail,” says Lev. “And [we can] see what that means for the physical properties of the lava.”

The drones help her team understand how lava behaves. For example, they can track how fast the lava moves through the environment. This can help people better prepare for future volcanic activity. “If there’s going to be another eruption at this place, it can help show what it’s going to be like,” says Lev.