Free training for drone pilots on search/rescue techniques on Mar 30

[RCdancer]

This is already discussed in a thread under the Southeast region, but I suspect many would never bother to read it because they either don't live in the SE or because of the thread title. DSAR is offering free training on search/rescue techniques to drone pilots on Sat Mar 30 at 9 AM at the following location near the Alabama/Georgia state line:

Mentone Community Church
90 Summerville Rd
Mentone, Alabama 35984

The church is on Lookout Mountain near the Alabama/Georgia state line border. This session will include an introduction to drone support for SAR operations. The topics in this intro include: what you need to know, what skills you need, what you need to consider and plan for, keys to success, training, working with onsite incident command structures, coordination and ops with ground search teams, effective use of your drone, waypoint flights, exploratory flights, 3rd party observers, safety.... and other subjects.

On the 30th we will specifically focus on advanced waypoint planning/execution with points-of-interest (POIs.) Training will occur rain or shine. If it rains, we obviously stay indoors. You will have an opportunity to plan a waypoint mission with POIs on your phone/tablet, and then (weather permitting) fly it with your own drone.

To get the most out of the training, it is recommended you purchase and download the Litchi app to your phone/tablet in advance.

All pilots, regardless of skill or experience level are welcome. Bring your drone.

 

[crlmjohnson]

too far for me.

I wish there was something like that here in Indianapolis

 

[RCdancer]

too far for me.

I wish there was something like that here in Indianapolis

In fact, a Supervisor of EMS and a Sheriffs Office in VA asked if we could come up to train there provided he could muster enough pilots to make it worthwhile. Thunderdrones and I agreed it may be possible for the two of us to go up there this summer and train them on a Sat and Sun. We're in the process of working with him to see if it can happen.

The same thing may be true for Indianapolis if someone is willing to take the bull to organize it up there.

 

[sar104]

This is already discussed in a thread under the Southeast region, but I suspect many would never bother to read it because they either don't live in the SE or because of the thread title. DSAR is offering free training on search/rescue techniques to drone pilots on Sat Mar 30 at 9 AM at the following location near the Alabama/Georgia state line:

Mentone Community Church
90 Summerville Rd
Mentone, Alabama 35984

The church is on Lookout Mountain near the Alabama/Georgia state line border. This session will include an introduction to drone support for SAR operations. Some topics include: what you need to know, what skills you need, what you need to consider and plan for, working with onsite incident command structures, coordination and ops with ground search teams, effective use of your drone, training .... and a host of other subjects.

On the 30th we will specifically focus on advanced waypoint planning/execution with points-of-interest (POIs.) Training will occur rain or shine. If it rains, we obviously stay indoors. You will have an opportunity to plan a waypoint mission with POIs on your phone/tablet, and then (weather permitting) fly it with your own drone.

To get the most out of the training, it is recommended you purchase and download the Litchi app to your phone/tablet in advance.

All pilots, regardless of skill or experience level are welcome. Bring your drone.

Do you have an automated method to set up grid searches with arbitrary start points, dimensions and orientation?

 

[TR Ganey]

We have put it on our calendar. If weather and work permit we would like to participate.

 

[RCdancer]

Do you have an automated method to set up grid searches with arbitrary start points, dimensions and orientation?

Specialized SAR drones (the big expensive ones) have that capability. We're working on something similar for the smaller drones (Mavics, Phantom - even Sparks) . Specialized SAR drones are powerful and fill an important need. But they are also expensive, relatively big, costly to deploy and take time to get onsite and into the air.

Smaller drones are easily transported, fast to deploy and increasingly sophisticated (I.e. FLIR, Loudspeaker, Spotlight, GPS, 4K cameras, Zoom capability, GPS timestamping, etc.) There are also many more smaller drones in the populace than the specialized big expensive ones. First-on-scene can be the difference between success and failure.

We want to use the increasingly powerful technology and widespread availability of the smaller drones. To that end we've established a National Registry of Volunteer 107 Certified pilots with training in drone SAR support that can be dispatched to incidents close to them.

If you're 107 certified, have training in search techniques and wish to be on the registry, please send us your contact information on the DSAR web site (www.dronesar.info) The registry is never published or shared to prevent spam and maintain privacy.

 

[SCK]

is there a registration site or cost to attend? or is it just show up if you can make it?

 

[RCdancer]

is there a registration site or cost to attend? or is it just show up if you can make it?

No registration. Just show up and bring your drone. We start at 9. Attendees should download the Litchi app to their device beforehand. (Yeah, I know it's expensive [I believe it now costs around $29], but it's powerful.)

All pilots are welcome, there is no requirement to be 107 certified to train with us.

 

[sar104]

Specialized SAR drones (the big expensive ones) have that capability. We're working on something similar for the smaller drones (Mavics, Phantom - even Sparks) . Specialized SAR drones are powerful and fill an important need. But they are also expensive, relatively big, costly to deploy and take time to get onsite and into the air.

Smaller drones are easily transported, fast to deploy and increasingly sophisticated (I.e. FLIR, Loudspeaker, Spotlight, GPS, 4K cameras, Zoom capability, GPS timestamping, etc.) There are also many more smaller drones in the populace than the specialized big expensive ones. First-on-scene can be the difference between success and failure.

We want to use the increasingly powerful technology and widespread availability of the smaller drones. To that end we've established a National Registry of Volunteer 107 Certified pilots with training in drone SAR support that can be dispatched to incidents close to them.

If you're 107 certified, have training in search techniques and wish to be on the registry, please send us your contact information on the DSAR web site (https://www.dronesar.info.) The registry is never published or shared to prevent spam and maintain privacy.

I should have elaborated. I'm primarily referring to the Mavic, Phantom and Matrice aircraft running Litchi, which is what we use for SAR. I wrote custom code to produce Litchi grid missions with arbitrary parameters, which is what I use, but it's not readily ported to a free-standing app, which a number of teams here have been looking for - hence the question.

 

[SCK]

adding to calendar hope to make it

 

[RCdancer]

I should have elaborated. I'm primarily referring to the Mavic, Phantom and Matrice aircraft running Litchi, which is what we use for SAR. I wrote custom code to produce Litchi grid missions with arbitrary parameters, which is what I use, but it's not readily ported to a free-standing app, which a number of teams here have been looking for - hence the question.

Outstanding. Do you intend to offer the code commercially (which is fine), or as shareware?

 

[sar104]

Outstanding. Do you intend to offer the code commercially (which is fine), or as shareware?

I'd be perfectly happy to give it away, but it currently runs in a somewhat esoteric programming language that is part of the scientific data analysis package that I use. I can port the waypoint generation part to Excel or similar, but automatic generation of the CSV file that Litchi imports is trickier. I was pretty sure that someone else must have written a more user-friendly application, but I haven't found one.

 

[RCdancer]

I'd be perfectly happy to give it away, but it currently runs in a somewhat esoteric programming language that is part of the scientific data analysis package that I use. I can port the waypoint generation part to Excel or similar, but automatic generation of the CSV file that Litchi imports is trickier. I was pretty sure that someone else must have written a more user-friendly application, but I haven't found one.

I haven't seen a similar user-friendly app and was just starting down the road to explore working on it. You might want to think about porting it to a user-friendly app and offering it as shareware. I'd certainly pay to help support it.

 

[crlmjohnson]

In fact, a Supervisor of EMS and a Sheriffs Office in VA asked if we could come up to train there provided he could muster enough pilots to make it worthwhile. Thunderdrones and I agreed it may be possible for the two of us to go up there this summer and train them on a Sat and Sun. We're in the process of working with him to see if it can happen.

The same thing may be true for Indianapolis if someone is willing to take the bull to organize it up there.

I am not sure who to contact?

 

[TR Ganey]

I am not sure who to contact?

Your local EMA director may be able to point you in the right direction. You will usually face resistance from those in power unless they can make it look like it was their idea and unless they can be in total control of it. just my experience over the years.

 

[RCdancer]

I am not sure who to contact?

I think someone (anyone) needs to gauge how many pilots would be interested in the (free) training .... and then find a suitable location if we agree to come up there.

 

[RCdancer]

I got the word that 20 people max for the first time we try this. First come, first serve. So far 3 from the local area that I know of plus

TR Ganey
SCK

There may be 2 others interested that I need to check with. Plus the guy from VA possible. That may be 8 so far.

 

[RCdancer]

For those coming to the training, especially if you don't already have the app, suggest you go the Litchi web site and register. You can go to the mission hub and play with the software (Mission Hub - Litchi)

Litchi for DJI Mavic / Phantom / Inspire / Spark

This video shows you how to preplan a mission on a Mac or PC which can then be downloaded to your device.

 

[RCdancer]

I got the word that 20 people max for the first time we try this. First come, first serve. So far 3 from the local area that I know of plus

TR Ganey
SCK

There may be 2 others interested that I need to check with. Plus the guy from VA possible. That may be 8 so far.

Add someone coming from LA. That makes 9.

 

[TR Ganey]

I pretty well local myself. I just live on the opposite side of the state! LOL

If weather permits it'll make a nice slingshot ride and if not we'll jump in the truck and head over. Mother nature can have some pretty serious mood swings around the end of March in the deep South.