The use of RPAS by the emergency services is growing and their impact is significant. In this session attendees heard examples of how RPAS have been implemented in Europe, their impact and how the identified challenges are being met.

1. Using fixed wing RPAS in
emergencies and crisis
Sorin Dumitru
Solutions Consultancy Lead, Teamnet

2. Drones terminology
• UAV = Unmanned Aerial Vehicle
• RPAS = Remotely Piloted Aircraft System
• UAS = Unmanned Aircraft System

3. For hard to reach and dangerous environments, and to reduce costs
Why RPAS?

4. Manned helicopter and fixed wing
Unmanned multirotor and fixed wing
Alternatives

5. Manned helicopter and fixed wing
(1-5t)
Helicopter Airplane
Initial cost 15M+ EUR 0.5-2M EUR
Maintenance cost Very high High
Operation & insurance cost 5000 – 7000 EUR / flight hour* 1500 – 3000 EUR /flight hour*
Pilot life risk Medium to high Medium to high
Operational efficiency High Medium to high
Operational flexibility High Medium to high
Real time transmission With additional equipment With additional equipment
* Higher costs are expected for flights during difficult missions
Data source: internal study

6. Unmanned multirotor and fixed wing
(1-20kg)
Multirotor UAV Fixed wing “mini” UAV system
Initial cost 1-10K EUR 0.3-1M EUR
Maintenance cost Very low Low to very low
Operation & insurance cost <500 EUR / flight hour <500 EUR / flight hour
Pilot life risk NA NA
Operational efficiency Very high Very high
Operational flexibility Very high Very high
Real time transmission Optional Yes
Maximum speed 40 km/h 200 km/h
Endurance <45 min <180 min
Range (video and telemetry) 3 – 5 km 15 – 30 km
Data source: internal study

7. Example
of auto piloted fixed wing
enterprise RPA System
Air vehicle, ground control station, data link terminal, takeoff, landing
Entire system should be easily carried in a 4x4 vehicle

8. Air vehicle
Composite materials (e.g. fiberglass, carbon fiber)
and usually has a modular structure:
• Wings, winglets;
• Battery pack(s);
• Propulsion system;
• Payload.

9. Enterprise RPAS specs
Wingspan: 2 to 4 m
Length: 1 to 2 m
Noise: 35 to 90+ dB
Maximum Take Off Weight
1 to 20 kg (“mini” cat.)
Maximum Speed
up to 200 km/h
Cruise Speed
up to 150 km/h
Service Ceiling
up to 3000 m ASL
Autonomy
0.5 to 5 h
Take off
Launcher, hand, runway
Landing
Parachute, runway
Max. Payload weight:
up to 2 kg
Propulsion: Electrical or
internal combustion

10. • Daylight camera (video);
• Thermal imaging camera (IR, video);
• High definition camera (stills);
• Multispectral camera (visible light, IR and more);
• Specialized sensors (e.g. chemical, radiological);
• Drop-off mechanism.
Usual payloads

11. GCS – Ground
Control Station
• Missions planning and control;
• Changing flight plans during the missions;
• Self test, launch and recovery;
• View mission data (control data, video stream);
• Offline mission replay;
• Relay data to C2 or PSAP;
• Automated flight missions (e.g.: follow target)

12. Data link terminal
A high gain antenna that tracks the aircraft and provides:
• Transmission of mission and ground controls to aircraft;
• Reception of aircraft data;
• Transmission of payload control data;
• Reception of video and payload data;
It provides the real time video streaming range (up to 30km).

13. Takeoff
• Hand launch;
• Vehicle launch;
• Catapult;
• Runway.

14. Landing
• Parachute;
• Cable (crane or secondary multirotor RPAS);
• Runway.

15. Search and rescue, floods, wild fires, border surveillance
Scenarios

16. Search and Rescue
• Fast and effective;
• Interoperable with other mobile and fixed forces
• High resolution real time aerial images;
• Can be integrated with PSAPs;
• Visual information on the victims’ condition.

17. SAR – Search and Rescue exercise

18. Floods
• Propagation prediction and warning;
• Search and rescue;
• Damage assessment;
• Aid drop-off;
• Can be integrated with PSAPs.
 Number of houses affected 234
 Number of people affected 512
 Maximum water depth 1.32 m
 Dykes affected 73 m

19. Wild fires
• Detection
• Suppression
• Post fire monitoring
• Can be integrated with PSAPs

20. Border surveillance
• Rescuing refugees;
• Day and night surveillance.
• Can be integrated with PSAPs;

21. Integrating RPAS in PSAPs

23. Recommendations

24. Legal, safety, operational
• Local procedure requirements and smart airspace segregation- the solution for regulatory
framework
• RPAS should be complementary to manned air vehicles;
• Flight missions are being transformed:
• Search => unmanned;
• Rescue => manned;
• Mission allocations and flight sectors;
• Training is needed for RPAS operators (successful missions require hands-on experience);
• Spare parts, maintenance and support;

25. Key features
Key features:
• Integration with C2 (video and control);
• Video for acting fast, HD images to better see details;
• “Up in the air” time;
• Transmission range;

26. RPAS – a solution for hard to reach and dangerous
environments, and for reducing costs.
Conclusion

27. Q&A
Sorin Dumitru – sorin.dumitru@teamnet.ro