India Flying Labs, in its short tenure, has been able to bring together some of the best people from the Indian drone industry, all sharing the same vision of working alongside for social causes. One of the initial projects initiated by the knowledge hub is to form a UAV Rapid Response Task Force for Disasters: the idea is to be ready to deploy in times of disaster by being prepared in times of calmness. 

India Flying Labs has been actively involved in working on their plan of having local-level multi-disciplinary teams who would come forward during times of disasters to provide drone-based support to ground-level disaster teams.

India faced multiple disasters in 2019, and we were fortunate to be a part of some of them. We used drones after cyclone in Odisha, and floods in Maharashtra, Gujarat and Punjab.

Drone First Responders are trained professionals who can effectively use drones for responding to emergencies and disasters. They can be drone professionals in emergency response, or better still, emergency responders who are keen to be trained in drone technology and integrate drones in their current processes and systems. 

Profiles for Drone First Responders: Fire fighters, Search and Rescue Teams, Disaster Management teams, Disaster Responding Volunteers

- Drones help first responders save lives and take critical, in-the moment data-driven decision making. 

- Drones help in finding missing persons and survivors faster than traditional methods even through smoke. 

- Drones can create 2D and 3D models of the situation and help make rapid decision making about the situation and plan actions. 

- Drones provides first responders with decision-quality data and incident management before anyone on the ground is in harm’s way.

1. Introduction to Drones, parts, payloads, telecommunication, portability, laws and regulations

2. Flying Lessons: Simulation, Manual, Autonomous, Live Drills with Role Playing using different drones 

3. Working with camera drones, spraying drones, tethered drones, thermal drones, payload drones

4. Rapid Data tools: Live video transmission, 360 degree shots, 2D maps, embedded maps

5. UAV Code of Conduct, Operation Protocols, Risk and Safety, Command and Control

6. Establishing Drone Lab within Emergency Response Operations or Command Centre – selection, purchase, maintenance, quality control, safety records and reporting, tracking and traceability, capacity building, training and re-training