The National Institute of Standards and Technology issued a challenge for competitors to design easily flyable unmanned aircraft to give first responders more visibility for indoor search and rescue operations.
NIST launched the novel competition in the First Responder UAS Indoor Challenge to enhance unmanned aircraft technology, which will have multiple stages through June 2023, according to an April 27 release. UAS stands for unmanned aircraft systems.
“NIST is working on research that focuses on standards to help the UAS industry,” Mike Yea, project manager at Capital Consulting Corp., said, according to the release. “It’s exciting to know that our involvement in this important work may someday contribute to saving the life of a first responder or someone in our community.”
The challenge is hosted by NIST and managed by Capital Consulting, in partnership with Kansas State University, the release said.
Competitors are being charged with the design and build of a cost-effective, easily flyable drone that provides better situational awareness to search and rescue teams before they enter a building, according to the release. Difficulties set in the competition include operating the drones indoors where GPS is unavailable, lighting is limited and the building’s structural integrity is compromised.
“Last year, our Endurance Challenge showed significant increases in UAS flight time to help in search and rescue operations,” Dereck Orr, NIST public safety communications research division chief, said in the release. “Our current Triple Challenge is also looking at ways to help in first responder missions by improving image detection, providing broadband communications in GPS-denied areas and identifying UAS cybersecurity vulnerabilities.”
Prize challenges from the NIST have made an impact in the U.S. and around the world for public safety, Orr said, according to the release.
