The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) conducted a one-day national-level brainstorming session on “Application of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) in Disaster Management”. The event aimed to build and improve the capacity of stakeholders to use UAVs and related technologies for better disaster preparedness and response.
Underlining the importance of UAV technology for disaster management, Shri R. K. Jain, Member, NDMA, said that all stakeholders should strive to leverage existing technologies for quick and efficient disaster response. Shri Jain expressed hope that this event would encourage various stakeholders to collaboratively work towards research and development of UAV technology for Disaster Risk Reduction.
“UAVs can be effectively used in different phases of disaster management – they can help us identify areas affected by disasters. They can also aid disaster response,” said Dr. D. N. Sharma, Member, NDMA.
NDMA officials and experts from educational institutions such as Delhi Technological University (DTU) and Anna University, and organisations such as Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), Department of Science and Technology, National Aeronautics Limited (NAL), Nagaland GIS and Remote Sensing Centre, North Eastern Space Application Centre (NESAC) and various others attended the event. Representatives of many State Disaster Management Authorities (SDMAs) also participated in the brainstorming session.
UAVs can provide high-resolution, real-time images of even the inaccessible locations. These images can then be used to produce accurate hazard maps so that prevention and mitigation measures for reducing disaster risks are planned accordingly. In a post-disaster situation, UAVs can be used to map the affected areas in high resolution within a short time, which, in turn, can aid swift and efficient response.