BeachDrone

Enno Lohmeier

Enno Lohmeier

Hamburg, Hamburg

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  • 0 Collaborators

Drone-assisted visual recognition of human bodies in open waters ...learn more

Project status: Under Development

Robotics, RealSense™, Artificial Intelligence

Intel Technologies
Other

Overview / Usage

Drones allow a vertical view into the water. Thus, reflections on the water are largely eliminated, the water surface, as a natural optical limit, becomes transparent. The high-resolution cameras built into the drones allow for a view down to several meters, especially when using video glasses. Due to physical fundamentals, the detection of persons under water with a thermal imaging camera is not possible.
The visibility of the high-resolution cameras is limited only by the turbidity of the water and the ambient brightness. These parameters can vary widely due to local conditions and environmental factors. The turbidity depends in particular on the weather conditions, the shipping traffic, the nature of the seabed, the tides or algae growth.
Especially the flat beaches of the Baltic Sea usually offer very good visibility, often for the entire area of ​​the bathing areas. Visibility to a depth of 5 meters is possible.
Thus, the omission of areas can be excluded. The choice of the correct search range based on the available information is decisive.
Drones are therefore suitable for discovering missing swimmers. In particular, people can be excluded in the flown areas.
Legislators have explicitly allowed the use of drones by aid organizations in Germany. Permits of the aviation authorities are usually not necessary. In individual cases, however, an overflight permit of the respective land owner is required, or agreements can be made with other authorities and agencies. This applies, for example, in the vicinity of restricted military areas, industrial plants, airfields or other sensitive areas.

Methodology / Approach

A drone autonomously searches for anomalies in the near-shore water area in a specified area and reports them to the lifeguard. The lifeguard initiates appropriate life-saving measures.
It is important that no lifeguard is needed to remote-control the drone, because this could block him from participating in the actual rescue.

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