Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

Drones may one day save your life: European responders to use drones for rescue missions

By Christian de Looper April 8, 2016

first responders using drones dji phantom 4 hands on 0025

Drones are opening up a world of new possibilities for consumers. They may have started off as aerial cameras, but now, as the technology has matured, they’re finding applications far outside the realm of photography. Nowadays we’ve got drones that deliver goods, fight deforestation, and even patrol our coastlines to warn swimmers of nearby sharks — but this is just the beginning. In the not so distant future, drones will also be used to save lives.

Staring very soon, DJI, the world’s largest drone manufacturer, will be supplying drones to the European Emergency Number Association for use in high-impact situations like rescue missions — a deal that could fundamentally change the way first responders operate.

Related Offer: Visionary Intelligence. Elevated Imagination. See the DJI Phantom 4 here

“Drones are transforming the way first response and civil protection missions operate by not only helping commanders make faster, smarter and better informed decisions, but also by providing first responders with more detailed information from an aerial perspective,” said Romeo Durscher, director of education at DJI, in a statement.

The partnership will involve the use of DJI’s Phantom, Inspire, and Matrice 100 drones, which will be equipped with the company’s Zenmuse XT thermal imaging system. Pilot programs will begin in May and September in Denmark and Ireland.

In the Denmark pilot program, the Greater Copenhagen Fire Department will be trained to use drones for things like firefighting, chemical accidents, and car accidents. The Irish Donegal Mountain Rescue Team is already using DJI-built software to coordinate rescue missions, however going forward they will also be working on improving real-time networking techniques and crowd-sourcing capabilities.

The program could open the door for other teams to incorporate drones into how they operate. At the end of the pilot programs, teams will “share insights and best practices with the broader international emergency-response community to promote the safe integration of drones in emergency situations,” according to the statement.

The EENA has representatives from over 1,200 emergency services in 80 countries, so it’s certainly well-positioned to implement drone use for emergency situations around Europe.

Topics

Christian de Looper

Contributor

Christian’s interest in technology began as a child in Australia, when he stumbled upon a computer at a garage sale that he…

Outdoors

The best portable power stations

EcoFlow DELTA 2 on table at campsite for quick charging.

Affordable and efficient portable power is a necessity these days, keeping our electronic devices operational while on the go. But there are literally dozens of options to choose from, making it abundantly difficult to decide which mobile charging solution is best for you. We've sorted through countless portable power options and came up with six of the best portable power stations to keep your smartphones, tablets, laptops, and other gadgets functioning while living off the grid.
The best overall: Jackery Explorer 1000

Jackery has been a mainstay in the portable power market for several years, and today, the company continues to set the standard. With three AC outlets, two USB-A, and two USB-C plugs, you'll have plenty of options for keeping your gadgets charged.

Emerging Tech

CES 2023: HD Hyundai’s Avikus is an A.I. for autonomous boat and marine navigation

Demonstration of NeuBoat level 2 autonomous navigation system at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show

This content was produced in partnership with HD Hyundai.
Autonomous vehicle navigation technology is certainly nothing new and has been in the works for the better part of a decade at this point. But one of the most common forms we see and hear about is the type used to control steering in road-based vehicles. That's not the only place where technology can make a huge difference. Autonomous driving systems can offer incredible benefits to boats and marine vehicles, too, which is precisely why HD Hyundai has unveiled its Avikus AI technology -- for marine and watercraft vehicles.

More recently, HD Hyundai participated in the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, to demo its NeuBoat level 2 autonomous navigation system for recreational boats. The name mashes together the words "neuron" and "boat" and is quite fitting since the Avikus' A.I. navigation tech is a core component of the solution, it will handle self-recognition, real-time decisions, and controls when on the water. Of course, there are a lot of things happening behind the scenes with HD Hyundai's autonomous navigation solution, which we'll dive into below -- HD Hyundai will also be introducing more about the tech at CES 2023.

Computing

This AI cloned my voice using just three minutes of audio

acapela group voice cloning ad

There's a scene in Mission Impossible 3 that you might recall. In it, our hero Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) tackles the movie's villain, holds him at gunpoint, and forces him to read a bizarre series of sentences aloud.

"The pleasure of Busby's company is what I most enjoy," he reluctantly reads. "He put a tack on Miss Yancy's chair, and she called him a horrible boy. At the end of the month, he was flinging two kittens across the width of the room ..."