group
What campus are you from?
Daytona Beach
Authors' Class Standing
Brady Roudabush, Sophomore Emelia Thompson, Freshman Lauren Gallo, Freshman Hannah Pineau, Freshman Ajay Jacob, Freshman Jacob Woods, Freshman
Lead Presenter's Name
Brady Roudabush
Faculty Mentor Name
Claudia Ehringer Lucas
Abstract
Thousands of people go missing each year in forested areas under dense canopies where visibility is limited to search and rescue efforts. The current search and rescue (SAR) drone industry uses large drones with heavy thermal imaging equipment to look for missing persons overhead, but struggles to look through dense forests efficiently, endangering responders by sending them into uncharted territory. Unlike traditional SAR drones, the Phaëthon System will improve the current SAR drone industry by using a swarm of drones that can map up to 70 meters ahead of the drone efficiently, while increasing responder safety. A command drone observes the area, then is followed by a swarm of small mapping drones using LiDAR to create a 3D map of the forest floor. Using this map, the next wave of drones, equipped with thermal imaging cameras, utilizes the map for obstacle avoidance. Responders can then use the LiDAR map and thermal data to find the safest path for the rescue of the individual, increasing the speed and safety of the response. The team also researched challenges in design, such as unpredictable weather conditions and risk of drone failure, leading to innovative solutions. The team found solutions such as weight-saving methods through carbon fiber frames, weatherproofing drones using plasma nanocoating, and optimized charge times to maximize drone efficiency in SAR operations and enhance flight performance. The Phaëthon System aims to save lives and transform the next generation of search and rescue safety and technology through its modularity and adaptability.
Did this research project receive funding support from the Office of Undergraduate Research.
No
Phaëthon System
Thousands of people go missing each year in forested areas under dense canopies where visibility is limited to search and rescue efforts. The current search and rescue (SAR) drone industry uses large drones with heavy thermal imaging equipment to look for missing persons overhead, but struggles to look through dense forests efficiently, endangering responders by sending them into uncharted territory. Unlike traditional SAR drones, the Phaëthon System will improve the current SAR drone industry by using a swarm of drones that can map up to 70 meters ahead of the drone efficiently, while increasing responder safety. A command drone observes the area, then is followed by a swarm of small mapping drones using LiDAR to create a 3D map of the forest floor. Using this map, the next wave of drones, equipped with thermal imaging cameras, utilizes the map for obstacle avoidance. Responders can then use the LiDAR map and thermal data to find the safest path for the rescue of the individual, increasing the speed and safety of the response. The team also researched challenges in design, such as unpredictable weather conditions and risk of drone failure, leading to innovative solutions. The team found solutions such as weight-saving methods through carbon fiber frames, weatherproofing drones using plasma nanocoating, and optimized charge times to maximize drone efficiency in SAR operations and enhance flight performance. The Phaëthon System aims to save lives and transform the next generation of search and rescue safety and technology through its modularity and adaptability.