Unmanned aerial system helps in cyclone Pam disaster relief mission
NewsMay 04, 2015
OREM, Utah. After the devastation of cyclone Pam, the Vanuatu government and the World Bank contacted Australian operator Heliwest to deploy Lockheed Martin’s Indago, a small unmanned aerial system (UAS). Unmanned systems can provide damage assessment information on disaster relief missions and the Indago collected images over a two-week period that provided the necessary data to operators.
In order to get support where it’s needed the most, Heliwest operators of the UAS are helping to provide a post disaster assessment on areas that were damaged by cyclone Pam. The images will help the Government of Vanuatu in progressing their disaster response activities, says Michael Bonte-Grapentin, senior disaster risk management specialist for the World Bank Group.
The Indago weighs five pounds, provides operators with 360 degree surveillance of the area, and can last about 45 minutes at a range up to three miles when operated with a hand-held controller. It is carried in a single backpack with everything needed to operate the system.
Due to Indago’s endurance and size, operators could field a mapping capability without requiring a large clear area for launch and recovery. It can provide high-resolution video and oblique imaging with a vertical takeoff and lift, says Luke Aspinall, manager of special operations for Heliwest.
