“UAS in Public Safety – Emergency & Disaster Response Conference”
Monday, February 27 – March 1, 2017 King Family Vineyards, Crozet, Virginia
Virginia UAS was pleased to participate in the UAS in Public Safety – Emergency & Disaster Response Conference sponsored by Piedmont Virginia Community College and the Virginia Department of Emergency Management. Conference participants were treated to an excellent program with subject matter expects in research and development, UAS platforms and sensors, and speakers that included the Honorable Brian Moran, Secretary of Public Safety
Virginia Secretary of Public Safety, the Honorable Brian Moran, addresses conference participants in the 2017 UAS in Public Safety, Emergency & Disaster Response Conference
In addition to two days of presentations, vendor interaction, and networking time, a day of flight operations including simulations of search and rescue of lost persons on land and in the water, property mapping after a major storm, and responding to a hazardous material incident.
Water rescue technology – Emergency Integrated Lifesaving Lanyard or EMILY,
EMILY, a self-propelled rescue robot, incorporates Humminbird® sonar to find drowning victims.
Unmanned aircraft systems –
Using their mobile trailer unit, York County emergency response personnel demonstrated the use of their M600 platform equipped with multiple sensors. Within minutes of flight, the operators were able to locate the simulated hazardous materials spill (about 200 yards away/out of view), locate injured personnel and were able to focus on the hazardous material drum labels and learn the specific nature of the chemical released. This allowed the staff to plan their response based on knowledge of the incident.
York County emergency response unit simulation exercise 3/1/2017
York County M600 deployed during exercise 3/1/2017