DV8 TECH is creating a way to use drones to help first responders. Last January, the company entered an national unmanned aerial system and payload contest conducted by the National Institute of Standards and Technology.
Unmanned systems specialist Toby Tracy said he and his company had to write a pitch of what their drone would be like in order to get accepted into phase two of the competition.
DV8 TECH and nine other teams were accepted to phase two where they were each given $20,000 and three months to create a drone that could carry at least 20 pounds and fly for an extended amount of time.
“Right now, the typical drone will only fly for 20 minutes, maybe 30,” Tracy said. “And this is just the smaller ones that are carrying light weight cameras.”
But DV8 TECH thought that wasn’t enough.
Tracy said this beefed up drone has the capability to fly up to three hours thanks to the hybrid gasoline-powered motor and battery backpack.
It also has a stand alone cell phone network, an important communication tool that won’t slow down response time.
“They have what they call LTE pod and it is pretty much the same thing as a cell phone tower,” he said. “If the cell phone tower tears down or if the cell towers are congested, this can hamper communication when there’s an emergency.”
Along with the 4G and LTE tower, he said the drone also has a thermal and RBG camera technology to help locate victims, GPS tracking abilities and also carry life saving equipment before first responders arrive on site.
“We can put life preservers or defibrillators on it and drop it in the ocean,” Tracy added. “This eight motor and eight propellor drone has so many safety feature and life-saving capabilities.”
Tracy said his company traveled to Virginia to show their product, where they took first place with 308 points.
He said they were the only team that received enough points and won $50,000.
An innovative idea and design used for something more than competition though.
“It’s something that kind of touches everybody’s hearts,” he said. “You want to save a life.”
Source: KSN