How much damage was caused by an earthquake?... Did key roads buckle?... Did buildings topple?
It's information first responders need to know. Now researchers at San Diego State University are developing a program that uses drones to help provide that information.
SDSU geography professor Doug Stow is leading the research, which involves taking pictures of key infrastructure such as bridges, dams and hospitals with the use of unmanned aerial systems or drones fitted with cameras and GPS monitors. GPS units track the exact location of the photo. After a disaster, another drone will use those GPS coordinates to photograph the exact same location and the change between the two photos can be used to determine the extent of the damage.
Stow says the information can be used to send resources to the areas in need and will be particularly useful in areas that first responders can't reach.
Stow and his team recently received $500,000 in grant money from the National Science Foundation and Department of Transportation to conduct the two-year research project.