A disaster can take many forms from a local grass fire during the dry season to a hurricane landing in multiple states. The changes in technology allow a population to better prepare and plan for pre and post-nuclear accidents, hazardous material releases, floods, earthquakes and forest fires.

A drone permits a first responder to survey an area to prevent unnecessary exposure to the fire department, emergency responders, heavy equipment operators, engineers, and volunteers. Drones allow for real-time surveillance to search for the individuals in most need of help and rescue. It is most important to establish a safe scene so responders do not become part of the casualty list.

“Disaster response support with drones” by Alpen-Adria-Universität Klagenfurt via YouTube.

Focus on the drone… not the screen

First responders are implementing drones for rescue and mass casualty events but the pilot's focus has been on the monitor in hand rather than the drone above. Augmented reality smart glasses integrated with a drone provide a view to look through the image instead of looking down at the monitor. The pilot can visualize the drone and the image at the same time. During a mass casualty, it is very important to keep everyone on the team safe and locate survivors. The possibility of visualizing the drone and survey the scene also keeps the drone safe and within sight.

Augmented reality smart glasses integrated with a drone provide a view to look through the image instead of looking down at the monitor.

“DJI Drone Aerial Footage with Vuzix Blade Smart Glasses” via Vuzix Corporation via YouTube.

Safety first

The Vuzix Blade smart glasses using augmented reality incorporated with a DJI Drone add another layer of safety for the pilot and the population during a mass casualty event. In post-recovery of an earthquake in China in 2014, DJI Drones were used by relief teams to search for survivors due to the impassable roads. The smart glasses, according to Vuzix, allow “doctors to provide remote training or offer over-the-shoulder support to other medical professionals in real-time”.

Augmented reality smart glasses provide safety and control to drones during mass casualty events and aid in search and rescue relief efforts globally.