摘要: |
In the midst of a natural disaster, information and the ability to access various locations may be compromised by blockage of roads and bridges, collapsed buildings, flooded roads, electricity outages, among other possible circumstances. Having the ability to communicate and access any given location is of extreme importance to ensure the safety of the population. Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) can be used to access hard-to-reach areas and gather vital data such as the current state of infrastructure, water levels in dams and levees, road blockages, waste debris, and many other information of importance before, during and after a natural disaster. The proposed research will improve the efficiency of the current methods that emergency operation centers (EOC) currently use to gather data and aid in the decision-making process during and after a natural disaster. The information will also be made available to State transportation agencies. The findings of this research will result in more effective site recognition and data acquisition for the states in the South Central area and all other States as they are all prone to the adverse effects of natural disasters. A final report will detail information on the methodology used for this research and data acquisition of pertinent information during and after natural disasters such as the condition of flood control structures, power lines, street level conditions of roads, rising water levels, number of damaged homes and waste debris piles, among many other. |