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How do On The Man Drones work?

How do On The Man Drones work?

Last updated on

13th April

A Guide to On The Man Drones

From special forces to infantry, artillery, command and engineer teams – on the man drones can be used by a wide-range of people to support their operations. In this guide, we look at what on the man drones are and how then can be used in the interests of public safety.

Sam Denniff, UAV Strategist for Public Safety and Military at Coptrz

Coptrz’s UAV Strategist at Coptrz for Public Safety and Military, Sam Denniff, explains: “Drones allow for emergency services to get a perspective that is usually only given by the use of a helicopter. This means that an ‘eye in the sky’ can be used far more frequently and to react much quicker to unfolding events.”

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What are On The Man drones?

On the man drones are military grade aircrafts without a pilot. They are controlled from the ground and are used for a wide range of activities including targeting, surveillance, mapping and distraction – in the interests of public safety.

They are small, lightweight and portable aircrafts that do not require an extensive supporting infrastructure in which to get the data from. They are functional and immediate to fit the time-conscious needs of this type of use. By adopting drone technology, emergency and military responders can benefit from improved efficiency, heightened security and increased safety.

What are the main uses for On The Man drones?

When used within a defence situation, the possibilities of using drones for public safety are extensive. Here we list few of the most common uses for one the man drones in this type of environment:

Drones for recce (reconnaissance)

In the interests of public safety, on the man drones can be used to scout out unknown environments that could be too dangerous for humans to venture. The drones will gather data and reconnaissance information about the area, bringing it back to be analysed and used for tactical operations.

The drone’s capability allows it to not only build a geographically accurate map, but also a semantic one. The intelligent onboard computer recognises roads, cars, buildings and other objects and identifies them on the map. When the drone’s mission is completed, it can provide clickable images, which can be downloaded and evaluated.

Drones for mapping and surveying

When it comes to mapping and surveying, drones are quick, safe and accurate for deployment in a first-eyes-on-the-ground scenario. They can cover a wide area range within a limited amount of time, providing data that can be processed within minutes.

When it comes to repeatability, which is often needed in the military, they are fast and efficient. Teams can make regular surveys, hourly, daily or weekly to make comparisons and re-address the situation on a real-time basis.

Leading photogrammetry software such as Pix4D Mapper can be used easily to collect survey-grade data and create 4D models with basic training and very little technological ability.

Drones for military command operations

Depending on the mission, on the man drones may be tasked with supplying tactical information about the immediate area during a military command operation. Essentially this allows teams on the ground to make better and faster decisions, which could be vital when it comes to facing enemy forces.

The sensor equipment, the areas flown over, the communication links and control of the airspace in which they are operating will all vary depending on the operation. On the man drones can be used for real-time planning, information dissemination, commander’s attack view and ultimately for making precise and well-informed decisions.

Drones for distraction

Distraction payloads are very lightweight aircrafts, which aid as additional tools to help during military operations. Set with a timer by an operator, these payloads emit loud sounds up to 169 decibels, with low flash and low fragmentation, acting as a distraction technique as teams enter a specific room or building.

As well as aiding as distraction tool, this type of on the man drone can also act as an attraction tool – to gain attention on the ground when needed.

The Typhon DS-100 is designed for military or police use for tactical operations. It integrates seamlessly with the Sky Hero Loki 2 or the Parrot ANAFI USA. Typhon is primarily designed for military, professional public security and offender management markets. Applications include covert operations, counter terrorism, law enforcement, close protection, aviation and maritime.

You can see the Typhon DS-100 in action here:

Drones for search & rescue

On the man drones are ideal for use by the emergency services as a search and rescue tool. Police, firefighters and volunteer rescue teams can use these unmanned aircrafts to search for missing persons or victims of crime in need of rescue. They can also be used, instead of dangerous helicopter missions, as an eye from the sky to locate a person lost on a mountain, or at sea, for example.

In the search for missing persons, infrared (IR) thermal imaging cameras can detect human body heat. This capability greatly increases the ability to find people or objects at night that may be hidden, as well as during daytime operations too.

Drones for accidents & disasters

On the man drones can also provide real-time visual information when a disaster or incident threatens the lives of those around it. During such incidents, emergency responders need such real-time information to be able to make better decisions faster so that lives can potentially be saved.

Natural and man-made disasters such as fires, floods and chemical spills often make conditions too difficult for relief workers to provide immediate assistance. Therefore, drones can provide awareness over a vast area of dangerous terrain in quick time, reducing the size of the rescue team needed to respond.

Such drones can be used to map disaster areas, providing greater advantages in both cost and response times when compared to traditional methods. They can be deployed quickly, generating high-resolution and 3D mapping, identifying hotspot areas that have sustained the most damage. The data can be uploaded in real time to coordinate relief efforts

What are best On The Man drones for public safety?

Parrot ANAFI USA

The Parrot ANAFI USA is a military-grade drone designed for use by first responders and defence teams. It is encryption ready, with complete data protection in case of loss or theft. Data is only shared if consent is given and is stored on secure European servers.

The Parrot ANAFI USA is ultra-portable and rugged in its design. It can operate effectively even in extremely rough, dusty, windy and wet conditions. It is also the quietest drone in its class and will not attract unwanted attention. It weighs only 500g and can be operational in only 55 seconds.

This aircraft is also useful for longer missions – with 3 x 32-minute flight time smart batteries to assure safe return to home location.

As well as the aircraft, the package includes a controller, batteries, USB charger and accessories – all inside a tough carry case with removable security sticker.

KEY FEATURES & SPECIFICATIONS

32X Optical Zoom & FLIR Boson® 320 long-wave infrared (LWIR) thermal camera
4K HDR Video & Stills in visible spectrum, 1280x720p thermal spectrum
IP53 Qualified for water and dust resistance
Flies in winds up to 14.7 m/s, 53kph, 32.9mph
Hand Launch, and Hand Landing for impracticable ground
4 km / 2.5 mi maximum transmission range
Flight time of 32 minutes
Unfolds, powers & connects securely to controller in <55 seconds
Compatible with PIX4D Software

Sky Hero Loki MK2

The Sky Hero Loki 2 is an operational aircraft providing emergency services and military teams with the immediate capabilities to detect, reduce and clear threats.

It has extreme performance in most light conditions and allows users to track and anticipate target movements, enabling reliable and rapid situational awareness for precise decision making.

Both the video signals and flight commands are securely encrypted, ensuring crucial maximum security with every use.

KEY FEATURES & SPECIFICATIONS

Precise position holding without GPS network
Automatic altitude and speed control functions
AES256 encryption implemented in the telemetry and control command signals
Night vision 0.00008lux, EO/IR
Analogue video and audio signal scrambled via FPGA
No lag nor frozen images
Integrated connector for additional payloads, sensors and actuators
Listen before talking on audio-video frequencies
Automatic pairing (RC – Drone)
Front and central IR LED systems adapting to all environments with variable power (0-100%)
Hand-launch take-off and assisted landing
Turtle mode allowing the drone to flip over automatically should it find itself on its back
Complete telemetry data, performance
Indicators for sensors, estimated remaining flight time on display
Main structure made of highly resistant polycarbonate
Optimal flight modes for both indoor (GPS denied environment) or outdoor (GPS activated) use

You can see Sam Denniff speak through the features of the Sky Hero Loki 2 for military operations in this recorded webinar here:

The Loki Mk2 is only available to Police and Military, so pricing and technical specifications are completely confidential. If you’d like more information on the Loki Mk2 then please contact us so that we can verify you.