Clogworks Take Part in a UNWFP Search & Rescue Project

From the 9th through the 14th of June, the skies above Chilmark, Wiltshire, saw a flurry of activity above the former RAF base. But this time, with a wide range of drones, operated by experts from around the world.
The University of Portsmouth and the United Nations World Food Project are investigating how different types of drones, combined with artificial intelligence, can aid in search and rescue operations.

The purpose of this ECHO ( European civil protection and humanitarian aid operations ) funded research project is to ultimately replace the sometimes limited availability of helicopters during a search and rescue mission following a natural disaster.
The drones will be used to identify and locate people in need of help, so that a helicopter can focus on collecting them in time-sensitive situations.

However, drones represent a relatively new technology in comparison to traditional rescue methods. So each UAV at the event was put through its paces to evaluate aspects such as battery life and sensor capability as well as a whole host of other tests.

The Dark Matter hX Gen 2 was equipped with a Workswell WIRIS Security. This payload features a 800 x 600px IR 25 Hz frame rate camera. It also filters noise from the image for clearer results in low light conditions using its "Advanced Noise Reduction Technology".
On top of this, it features a 30X optical zoom camera.
The two cameras combined allow the operator to obtain a high level of situational analysis from a safe distance.
Below is a short video highlighting the effectiveness of the IR camera on the Workswell payload in full darkness.

When combined with our in-house-built 100W spotlight and loudspeaker, a Dark Matter UAV fitted with WIRIS infrared and 30X optical zoom will provide an extremely effective search and rescue solution.
With a dual controller configuration, a camera operator can focus on the search area while the pilot directs the aircraft.
In combination with Dark Matters' increased flight times, a much wider area can be covered in a shorter period of time.
Furthermore, when used in conjunction with the AI platform being developed byArtificial Intelligence solution provider Synthetaic ( https://www.synthetaic.com ), a wide range of drone video data can be processed, allowing for stranded people to be located at an extremely fast pace.

About the United Nations World Food Programme

The World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.

About ECHO

The main mission of the Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO) is to preserve lives, prevent and alleviate human suffering and safeguard the integrity and dignity of populations affected by natural disasters and man-made crises. Headquartered in Brussels with a global network of field offices, DG ECHO ensures rapid and effective delivery of EU relief assistance.

About the University of Portsmouth

The University of Portsmouth has been part of an international collaboration into the effectiveness of drones for post-disaster search and rescue missions and have assisted in developing an application for faster interpretation of drone images.

About Clogworks Technologies

Clogworks Technologies is a UAV manufacturer offering modular and adaptable highly efficient carbon fibre multi-rotor aerial drones. We specialise in integrating different sensors/ payloads and developing solutions to meet the most demanding customers’ needs.