Remotely Piloted
Aircraft Systems (RPAS).
Remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) systems (RPAS), commonly referred to as drones, have become an invaluable emergency response tool, with search, rescue, firefighting and medical applications.
RPA are broadly divided into small (including micro) and large. Although definitions vary across the world, in the USA for example, a small RPA has to weigh less than 25 Kg (55 lbs). Micro RPA are commonly less than 5Kg (11 lbs). It is the small and micro RPAS that are increasingly being integrated into emergency services to enhance their coordination and response capability.
Some examples of RPA use in emergency services include:
- Improved incident coordination, a “birds eye view”
- Rapid damage assessments during earthquakes, tropical cyclones, floods, tsunami’s, aviation accidents, rail accidents, fires, HAZMAT incidents
- Wilderness and marine search operations
- Deployment of thermal imagery for search and firefighting operations
- Deployment of medical equipment (e.g., AED), medication and blood
Mapping during disasters (e.g., tropical cyclones; floods) - Rapid deployment of life saving aids, e.g., flotation devices
- Deployment of communication equipment
- Sampling (gas & liquid) during HAZMAT incidents
As RPA technology continues to evolve and improve, more applications are being discovered, including:
- Simultaneous use of multiple RPAS to improve situational awareness and coordination of widespread incidents, e.g. bushfires
- Automated micro RPAS capable of doing indoor navigation to assess structural integrity post incident, e.g., following fire or explosion, confined space search e.g., ship’s hull, sewer systems
- Real-time map stitching
- Increasing capability of deploying payloads
In addition to RPAS Operator training, DART provides:
- Recommendations of RPA best suited to client’s requirements
- Comprehensive technical specifications for procurement
- Supply of aircraft and all relevant accessories
- RPA Operator Position Descriptions (PD)
- Daily Duties
- Personnel selection criteria
- Equipment Requirements
- Requirements to maintain skill and competency levels
- Standard Operating Procedures (SOP)
- Pre-flight Checklists
- Post-flight Checklists
- RPA Operator Logbook
- Integration of small / micro RPA into response operations
RPAS Training
There are country-specific rules and regulations with regard to the operation of RPA, e.g., the pilot-in-command (PIC) must operate with a direct visual line of sight (VLOS). It is important to know and comply with the required rules and regulations to ensure safe RPA operation. This is a critical aspect RPA uses during international deployment to major incidents or disasters.
A review of RPA related accidents have found a lack of knowledge, experience and training in human-performance limitations as well as an over-reliance on fully automated flight modes have been contributing factors. Comprehensive training is critical to the safe and effective integration of RPA into an emergency service.
Water Rescue
