Using UAV data to improve the situational awareness for first responders in disaster management: The example of flooding in the Ahr Valley, Germany

Abstract

In October 2021 and 2022 two field exercises, led by the Bavarian Red Cross (BRK) and German Aerospace Center (DLR) took place in the Ahr Valley, Germany, which was hit by severe floods in July 2021. Focus thereby was the use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) for crisis mapping to enhance situational awareness for first responders in disaster management. The case study highlights the benefits of decentralized UAV data acquisition, processing, and transfer. This includes subsequent mapping of flooded areas as well as automatically detecting buildings and vehicles using machine learning workflows. Additionally, navigable and analyzable 3D scenes are calculated from the drone data and provided to the first responders. The exercise in the Ahr Valley showed that the acquisition of structured UAV data can improve situational awareness, disaster management strategies, and response capabilities, leading to more effective and efficient emergency management.