By Sarah Roebuck
Editorial Staff
STARKVILLE, Miss. 鈥� First responders from all over the country gathered to test and evaluate the effectiveness of using unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), or drones, as a tool of communication to share critical emergency information with large crowds, .
In July, an operational field assessment (OFA) conducting various scenarios took place at the Raspet Flight Research Laboratory, a satellite complex that is part of Mississippi State University.
鈥淭he OFA is testing the maneuverability of the drone and trying to make sure that it works the way that the first responders will need it to. Is it loud enough? Is it clear enough for people to hear? The idea is to have very clear messages to the crowd, to help keep them safe, and to keep the first responders safe,鈥� said Brenda Long, a program manager in the program.
Developed and prototyped by Cornerstone Research Group (CRG) for the Science and Technology鈥檚 program, the Bellbird Aerial Communications Platform was created as a safer and more efficient tool for law enforcement and first responders to disseminate crucial emergency information to large crowds.
Many agencies use bullhorns or vehicle-mounted Long Range Acoustic Devices to communicate with crowds, but these methods may only reach a portion of the audience, DHS stated. The Bellbird enhances this by equipping UAS technology with a large speaker and boom microphone. This setup allows two-way communication with large crowds from a safe distance, amplifying emergency instructions and enabling on-the-ground feedback to improve situational awareness.
A team from the , one of the five S&T national labs, designed and conducted the test.
鈥淥ur lab serves as a technical advisor to first responders, primarily at the state and local level, but we support the Department of Homeland Security components as well,鈥� said Patel. 鈥淎 big part of that is conducting tests and evaluations on emerging technologies, and on commercially available technologies, trying to get to the ground truth of how these technologies work and whether or not they are going to be effective for first responders to use out in the field.鈥�
The first responders at the OFA each had the opportunity to assemble, fly, and program announcements on the Bellbird.
Matt Didier, a lieutenant with the Seattle Police Department, said he sees potential in the Bellbird.
鈥淚 was actually surprised at how clearly I could hear it when it was a hundred feet off the ground and a hundred feet away from us, while 80 plus decibels of background noise was going on around me. That would be an ideal location when working with crowds, because it鈥檚 keeping us away from the crowd for safety of the crowd, but still able to deliver a clear message.鈥�
Later this year, NUSTL will release a report detailing the findings from the OFA. Following the report, Long and her team will implement any necessary modifications and fine-tuning based on participant feedback. The ultimate goal is to ensure first responders have the tools they need to protect public safety.