Quantitative Data Analysis: CRASAR Small Unmanned Aerial Systems at Hurricane Ian

TL;DR

This paper summarizes the largest deployment of small unmanned aerial systems during Hurricane Ian, highlighting operational successes, failures, and new applications like interior victim searches and VTOL fixed wing use.

Contribution

It documents the first use of interior search and VTOL fixed wing drones in a large-scale disaster, expanding understanding of sUAS capabilities and challenges.

Findings

Most flights performed by rotorcraft drones

Wireless data transmission remains a key limitation

Lack of centralized control causes operational issues

Abstract

This paper provides a summary of the 281 sorties that were flown by the 10 different models of small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS) at Hurricane Ian, and the failures made in the field. These 281 sorties, supporting 44 missions, represents the largest use of sUAS in a disaster to date (previously Hurricane Florence with 260 sorties). The sUAS operations at Hurricane Ian differ slightly from prior operations as they included the first documented uses of drones performing interior search for victims, and the first use of a VTOL fixed wing aircraft during a large scale disaster. However, there are substantive similarities to prior drone operations. Most notably, rotorcraft continue to perform the vast majority of flights, wireless data transmission capacity continues to be a limitation, and the lack of centralized control for unmanned and manned aerial systems continues to cause operational friction. This work continues by documenting the failures, both human and technological made in the field and concludes with a discussion summarizing potential areas for further work to improve sUAS response to large scale disasters.