Drones can quickly survey large and complex disaster zones, providing real-time aerial imagery and detailed maps to SAR teams. This situational awareness is crucial for:

• Locating possible survivors and assessing hazards before sending in ground teams.
• Creating 2D and 3D maps, orthomosaics, and topographic models for ongoing risk assessment, such as monitoring landslides or flood areas.
• Enabling command centers to coordinate operations safely and efficiently from a distance, reducing the risk to personnel and optimizing resource allocation.

Example: During the Norway landslide, DJI Matrice 300 RTK drones mapped the area for over 40 days, providing up-to-date models that guided rescue strategies and ensured responder safety

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Equipped with high-resolution visual and thermal cameras, DJI drones excel at detecting missing persons in challenging conditions, including:

• Nighttime or low-visibility environments, where thermal imaging can identify heat signatures invisible to the naked eye.
• Dense forests, avalanche zones, or open water, where traditional search methods are slow or dangerous.
• Scenarios requiring swift victim localization to maximize survival chances.

Example: The Zenmuse H30T thermal camera, used on drones like the Matrice 350 RTK or the Matrice 4T with the spotlight attachment, enables rescuers to find people lost at night or in snow, as demonstrated in avalanche and mountain rescue missions

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Drones can be fitted with speakers and other payloads to:

• Communicate directly with stranded or injured individuals, providing reassurance and instructions until help arrives.
• Relay real-time video and sensor data to command centers, supporting dynamic decision-making and efficient deployment of rescue teams.
• Broadcast warnings or coordinate evacuation in hazardous or rapidly changing environments.

‍Example: In water rescues and mountain operations, drones have been used to deliver critical messages to victims and coordinate multi-team responses using platforms like DJI FlightHub.

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