The American Red Cross is launching its first drone program to assess damage in an area of Houston hit hard by Hurricane Harvey.
A CyPhy drone tethered to a generator will be deployed next week. The drone, which provides miles of visibility, will fly 400 feet above ground.
The CyPhy drone, developed by a Massachusetts-based company, will help determine where aid is needed most, and will evaluate the cost of damage.
This isn’t the first time drones have been deployed for disaster relief. Drones were used after a major earthquake hit Nepal in 2015, and the New York City Fire Department has recently deployed drones for aerial monitoring.
The hope is that the drone program will be effective enough to provide some relief to those suffering from the summer’s hurricanes.
Subscribe to Vocativ:
Find us everywhere else:
Subscribe to the newsletter:
:
:
:
Snapchat:
Website:
