MANILA - Non-government organizations (NGOs) in the Philippines are using unmanned air vehicles (UAVs) to support their relief operations in the aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan. More than a month after the typhoon, relief operations have yet to reach all the affected areas. Tacloban was especially hard hit.
Danish firm Danoffice IT has been providing UAVs to U.N. agencies and several NGOs involved in the relief and response operations in Tacloban. The UAVs are performing disaster assessment. Faster damage assessment could help to speed relief operations and save lives.
U.S.-based Direct Relief is using Huginn X1 UAVs in its Haiyan relief operations. This NGO is a member of the umbrella organization NetHope. The Huginn X1 drone is equipped with high-definition video and is capable of providing a live feed for a controller. A Huginn X1 currently cost EUR40,000 ($55,000) including user insurance, flight training, export control management, technical support, products and parts stocks, and warranty.
The NGOs hope their operations in the Philippines will set a new standard in disaster risk reduction efforts in the future.
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