Introduction to the project
Search and rescue operations in Greenland are often carried out across vast and difficult-to-access areas. Locating people in distress can be challenging, and Arctic conditions place significant demands on both rescue teams and their equipment.
In the ARCSAR pilot project, researchers from the University of Southern Denmark have collaborated with the Alexandra Institute and the Joint Arctic Command to test commercially available drones for search and rescue operations in Greenland. The project investigates how drones perform under Arctic conditions, where unstable GPS signals, low temperatures, ice and snow can affect their reliability and flight performance.
Project objectives
The objective of ARCSAR is to investigate how drones can support rescue operations in Arctic areas. The project focuses on:
- Assessing the performance of commercially available drones in Arctic conditions
- Identifying circumstances in which drone sensors and thermal cameras work effectively or encounter limitations
- Collecting data that can be used to train AI models to help locate people in distress
- Gaining experience with improvements to drone hardware and software for Arctic rescue operations
- Exploring how drone-assisted search operations could become increasingly autonomous.
Project details and method
During 32 experimental flights outside Nuuk, the researchers tested commercially available drones and collected data from onboard sensors and thermal cameras. The tests examined how Arctic conditions affect drone performance and when thermal cameras are most effective at detecting people. The data will also be used to train an AI model to support search operations.
Expected outcomes and future perspectives
The long-term ambition is to develop increasingly autonomous drones that can search large areas and transmit information to rescue teams in real time. The technology could also support search operations in other inaccessible environments, including mountainous regions and areas affected by forest fires.
Collaborators and partners
- Alexandra Institute
- Joint Arctic Command
- University of Southern Denmark, SDU
Funded by
Nationalt Forsvarsteknologisk Center (NFC)
In the media
Read “SDU tests rescue drones in the Arctic”
