What Role For UAVs In SAR

[departthefix08]

So, if you were looking for a role where a UAV could either enhance capability or improve the safety of Search and Rescue Operations what specific tasks could a UAV do more effectively than a manned air vehicle or to enhance mission success? Secondly, given the range of UAVs on the market from the Black Hornet Personal Reconnaissance System (Nano-drone) through miscellaneous rotary platforms to Global Hawk, what type of platform would fill the requirement?
Debate.

[rrekn]

The issue here is the definition of 'Search and Rescue'.

Many countries already have so called 'SAR' fixed wings that in reality can only search for survivors and perhaps drop a draft or stores to them. The 'Rescue' will always need a rotary wing asset.

To answer your question, a UAV could replace the fixed wing portion to search for the survivor. This could then be paired with a rotary asset to then perform the rescue.

The size of the UAV then depends on the size of the search area, and budget of the operator.

[cattletruck]

If Gatwick is anything to go by then keeping them out of controlled airspace would severely limit there effective use.

Did see a wonderful use for a UAV launched from a Longbow. It could even be programmed to be collected from a safe spot after it did its job.

[chopper2004]

So, if you were looking for a role where a UAV could either enhance capability or improve the safety of Search and Rescue Operations what specific tasks could a UAV do more effectively than a manned air vehicle or to enhance mission success? Secondly, given the range of UAVs on the market from the Black Hornet Personal Reconnaissance System (Nano-drone) through miscellaneous rotary platforms to Global Hawk, what type of platform would fill the requirement?
Debate.

Having seen the VSR700 at ILA 2018,one of its bolt on RFD search and rescue (SAR) raft

cheers

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/2000x1504/img_7986_89b86ce21e1552033c660a635c1a95f59426e755.jpg

[helihub]

@rrekn
Not UAV, I realise, but no helicopter involvement either..... the Channel Islands Air Search fixed wing BN2 Islander also has a deployable raft for Rescue operations. They usually pair with a lifeboat, not a helicopter.

[PANews]

I may be wrong but there seem to be issues with the whole concept of the UAV in SA(R).

The type of craft that may be deployable in the role is going to be pretty large, sophisticated and expensive. The cost of each one is going to far exceed something like the BN2 in the Channel Islands and probably require a 'crew' every bit as large to keep it up there.

The visual capabilities for the search is going to be a fairly standard EO turret which still remains way behind the capability of the mark one eyeball..... rather than a wide view of the situation its going to be a search conducted through something akin to a toilet tube.

Perhaps in the future prices will come down sufficiently to enable the development an automatic system that takes SLAR and intelligent EO that can 'see' targets in the water and alert a ground based operator [of several different uav] to interrogate the find. All very Dan Dare pilot of the future stuff and probably 30 years off. Then to consider is whether you want one manned multi-capability asset sitting on the ground waiting for a SAR mission and flying 2-3 times a week or multiple unmanned craft sitting on the ground and undertaking the same 2-3 missions a week. There seems little to be gained from actually relying on the unmanned craft option as long as they need the same logistics as the manned option without added [or even equal] efficiency.

[Andy_RR]

I remember reading many years ago a news article of a fixed-wing rescue proposal whereby a tether was lowered from out of the back of a circling aircraft such as a C130 flown in such a radius and height that eventually the end of the line became stationary. I can't find anything on the interweb about it though and it'd surely be a wild ride back up! Does anyone know or remember anything of this idea


edit: here's an article in Popular Mechanics describing the idea - https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/research/a20006/bucket-drop/

[Daysleeper]

I may be wrong but there seem to be issues with the whole concept of the UAV in SA(R).

The type of craft that may be deployable in the role is going to be pretty large, sophisticated and expensive. The cost of each one is going to far exceed something like the BN2 in the Channel Islands and probably require a 'crew' every bit as large to keep it up there.

The visual capabilities for the search is going to be a fairly standard EO turret which still remains way behind the capability of the mark one eyeball..... rather than a wide view of the situation its going to be a search conducted through something akin to a toilet tube.

Perhaps in the future prices will come down sufficiently to enable the development an automatic system that takes SLAR and intelligent EO that can 'see' targets in the water and alert a ground based operator [of several different uav] to interrogate the find. All very Dan Dare pilot of the future stuff and probably 30 years off. Then to consider is whether you want one manned multi-capability asset sitting on the ground waiting for a SAR mission and flying 2-3 times a week or multiple unmanned craft sitting on the ground and undertaking the same 2-3 missions a week. There seems little to be gained from actually relying on the unmanned craft option as long as they need the same logistics as the manned option without added [or even equal] efficiency.

While I agree with many of your points regarding cost etc automated visual search technology is in use pretty much daily in SAR and border patrol now with things like ViDAR mounted on Scan Eagle UAV and Challenger 604 SAR aircraft in Oz. ViDAR ? Sentient Vision Systems (http://www.sentientvision.com/products/vidar-2-2/)

UK "long" endurance (fixed wing) SAR is a national embarrassment.

[SASless]

At least there will not be squabbling about which Recliner is whose!