UC02.1: Indoor Drone Exploration and Victim Detection (Firefighters)

Version 10.2 by Tjalling Haije on 2025/07/14 11:34

Indoor Drone Exploration and Victim Detection – Firefighting

Objective	OB01: Increase effectiveness through exploration, sensing and communication means OB04: Improve safety by providing overviews and warnings of environment conditions Deploy indoor drones to map fire zones, locate victims, and support tactical decisions before firefighter entry.
TDP	TDP1, TDP2, TDP4, TDP5
IDP	IDP1
Actors	Drone Operator, Analyst, Squad Leader, Firefighters
Pre-Condition	Fire scene is active; indoor conditions are high-risk.
Post-Condition	Thermal map and victim locations shared; entry plan finalized.
Status	Validated during and refined after CFT 1, CFT 2, CFT 3

Action Sequence

Deployment and Setup
a. Squad leader flags interior as unsafe for direct entry.
b. Drone team is called and moves up in vehicle
c. Drone team meets up with squad leader outside building
Exploration and Navigation
a. Drone enters building by being deployed from vehicle
b. Drone is used to build up SA of building and spot possible victims
c. Real-time feed transmitted to analyst at command truck.
Victim Detection and Manual Control
a. Analyst monitors 3d model of building and marks possible victims.
b. Operator can switch between autonomous exploration or manual control
c. Victim locations are confirmed and tagged.
Team Coordination and Decision Support
   a. Analyst updates 3d map and sends it to squad leader.
   b. Squad leader revises plan and briefs entry team.
   c. Firefighters enter with better spatial and thermal awareness.

Claims (title)	Function	Effect(s)	Action Sequence Step(s)
CL1 Increase situational awareness pre-entry	Thermal camera, live drone feed, map overlay	Enables squad leader and command to understand hazard zones, heat signatures, and layout → Informs safer and more targeted entry plan. → Measure with mission planning accuracy or reduced entry errors.	2b, 3a, 4a
CL2 Improve safety of firefighters inside	Drone maps hazard zones and structural integrity	Helps avoid fire, heat, and collapse zones → Fewer responder injuries. → Measure with number of incidents prevented or path corrections.	2a, 3b, 4b
CL3 Reduce entry preparation time	Autonomous exploration, 3d scanning	Speeds up hazard mapping before firefighter entry → Enables faster decision-making under pressure. → Measure with time between arrival and safe entry.	2a, 2b
CL4 Improve victim detection accuracy	Manual drone control for closer inspection	Reduces false positives in victim detection and increases certainty → Enables better allocation of rescue resources. → Measure with victim confirmation rate.	3a, 3b, 3c
CL5 Increase command confidence in decisions	Analyst interpretation + real-time map updates	Enables command to brief team based on data instead of assumptions → Higher mission control and reduced hesitation. → Measure with post-mission surveys or planning revisions.	4a, 4b
CL6 Improve mission performance overall	Integrated thermal imaging, analyst updates, safe entry	Results in quicker rescue operations with fewer injuries due to smarter planning and environment awareness. → Measure with rescue success rate and time-to-victim.