Lapland rescue service to acquire semi-autonomous drones

Lapland Rescue Department will acquire three new drones for about 8,000 euros each to supplement its existing fleet, Yle reports. The drones can operate partly independently and will be used for tasks including locating smoke and searching for people.

The new models are more weather-resistant than older equipment and have improved cameras and thermal imaging. Operators can define a search area for a drone to record and examine independently, allowing them to focus on monitoring the footage rather than flying the device.

The department has used drones since early 2020, but some of its equipment has become outdated as technology has advanced. The new drones are expected to significantly improve the department’s capabilities.

As part of a pilot project, the department is testing equipment that allows a drone to drop a self-inflating life ring to a person in need of rescue. Drones can also illuminate dark locations and provide instructions through a loudspeaker.

In summer, the department’s most common drone-related tasks involve investigating reports of smoke. Instead of searching along the road network, crews can now send a drone into the air to identify the direction of the smoke and, when the range allows, obtain coordinates for the location.

The drones can film large areas at once and use artificial intelligence-enhanced functions, including marking searched areas on a map. Thermal cameras are used in searches for people and to locate fire hotspots and various leaks. The department uses the drones most frequently to build and monitor an overall picture of an incident.

The new DJI drones are Matrice 4TD models. They have IP55 water and dust protection, advanced thermal imaging, low-light and night vision with an RGB camera, anti-icing propellers and laser distance measurement up to 1,800 metres. They can operate in temperatures as low as 30 degrees below zero.