Quadcopters are proving to be an exciting technology in a lot of fields, none more so than emergency services where they can be sent into disaster areas to assess damage,send medical equipment, drop supplies, and help plan airlifts.
The remote-controlled flying machines have been usedto lower flotation devicesto struggling swimmers, while operators recently used a video stream from a drone’s onboard camera to helplead people to safetyduring a volcanic eruption in Hawaii.
Inspired by the positive work being performed by drones in emergency situations, Vincenzo Navanteri recently came up with a design for a quadcopter large enough to carry a person to safety.
Judges at the recent World Air Sports’ International Drones Conference were so impressed with Navanteri’s concept design thatthey awarded himthe Prince Alvaro de Orleans-Borbon Grant, worth $20,000.
Accepting the award in Lausanne, Switzerland, the 34-year-old Italian said he’ll use the cash to help him and his team develop the autonomous air ambulance, which, in simple terms, looks like an enormous quadcopter with a stretcher on top.
The design includes an onboard camera and backup batteries, as well as an oxygen supply unit and health-monitoring technology. Navanteri envisions a machine that can operate in all weathers and in a variety of testing situations, including earthquakes, floods, and even nuclear contamination zones.
The team’s aim is to build a self-flying machine capable of carrying a person — or emergency supplies — weighing up to 265 pounds (120 kg) at speeds of up to 68 mph (110 kph).
Its unique technology could also see it flying non-stop for up to 95 miles (150 km). The quadcopter’s range, which is the standout feature for Navanteri, would be achieved thanks to its two gas-driven micro-turbines that generate the electricity to power the battery-driven propellers. The creator said he believes the patented technology is “revolutionary” and will help “move drones forward, away from simple 20-minute battery-life.”
Presenting the award, FAI president Frits Brink described Navanteri’s design as “innovative,” adding, “The potential for drones to do good is great, and ideas like this single-person drone ambulance show the potential. The technology underpinning this idea is real — a drone ambulance used in search and rescue is not simply a good idea, it is a realistic one too.”
