The Austin Fire Department is embarking on a pilot project together with leaders in research and industry to explore the feasibility of the use of robotics in real-time emergency incident management. The goal is ultimately to enhance firefighter safety and the effectiveness of the emergency response capabilities it provides to its citizens.
The department has supported the development of the first fire department robotics program in the country, called the Robotic Emergency Deployment (RED) Team. The team has begun testing the the current generation of air, ground and maritime robotic platforms with the goal of establishing an industry standard for what will be the first generation of rescue specific robotics. Working with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), it is helping to develop the International Standard Test Methods for Response Robots; test methods that measure both robot and operator capabilities.
The Austin Fire Department is proud to be the first major metropolitan department in the country to obtain authorization to operate unmanned aerial systems (UAS) in the national airspace. This Certificate of Authorization (COA) is granted by the Federal Aviation Administration and is required of any public safety organization operating UAS as part of an emergency response. The dedication required to obtain this COA is a reflection of the RED Team’s commitment to excellence.
This technology can be applied in various scenarios, including:
- Wildfire Mitigation
- Flood Response
- High Rise and Commercial Fires
- Hazardous Material Mitigation
- Search and Rescue
- Structure Collapse and Confined Space Rescue
- Pre-Incident Fire Planning
- Post-Incident Fire Review
- Creating Communication Networks during disaster response
The department uses a Leptron RDASS quadcopter for its search and rescue work. The platform carries a GoPro camera, has night-time navigational lighting for its evening Certificate of Authorization department is operating.
Sources: Website; My Statesman