First Satellite Uplink Video to the Florida Emergency Operations Center in Tallahassee

Cyber Defense Systems, Inc. announced multiple flights utilizing live satellite feed into the Internet and directly into the main situation room in the Florida Emergency Operations Center (EOC), Tallahassee, FL. The test flight represented the first time live video feed was uplinked to a satellite from an unmanned aerial vehicle to the Florida Emergency Operations Center in Tallahassee, FL. The test flight was part of a joint Florida Atlantic University and University of Central Florida Project funded by the Federal Highway Administration and managed through the Florida Department of Transportation. The goal is to develop and test initial procedures for deploying an Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) into FAA designated restricted airspace for the purpose of emergency management surveillance of infrastructure in a post disaster environment.Due to limited bandwidth, the URL feed was viewed from 3 locations. Those locations and designated attendees were:

1. The main situation room in the Florida Emergency Operations Center (EOC), Tallahassee, FL. Attendees: John Fleming; Department of Emergency Management (DEM) Communications Manager, William Stoye; James Montague; DEM Communications Engineer

2. The University of Central Florida-Civil Engineering's Center for Advanced Transportation Systems Simulation (CATSS) in Orlando, FL. Attendee: Jack Selter; CATSS Director

3. The Florida Atlantic University-Civil Engineering's Center for Intermodal Transportation Safety and Security (CITSS), Jupiter, FL. Attendee: Stephen Miller, CITSS Associate Director for Research Programs and Services

"We are very pleased to be working on this project with the professionals from the Florida Department of Emergency Management, Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Cyber Defense Corporation. This partnership represents how end users of this type of system and the technology developer, along with the applied research capability of the Universities, creates a valuable team that can develop a product that will deliver maximum value to those who use the system," according to Jack Selter, director of the Advanced Transportation Center at the University of Central Florida.

The UAS test flight at Avon Park included multiple day and evening flights utilizing both color and low lights camera technology at the request of the Florida Department of Emergency Management. Smaller and remote controlled unmanned aerial systems can prove to be a viable asset to local and state emergency management officials and first responders in post disaster surveillance.

"This was an outstanding field test illustrating value of an unmanned vehicle system streaming video via satellite for post disaster assessment when ground communications are disrupted," said Stephen Miller of Florida Atlantic University.

"This exercise shows the capability of the CyberBug and how it can be effectively used in emergency and disaster situations to save lives. We hope to see the CyberBugs used by emergency services around the world," said Billy Robinson CEO of Cyber Defense Systems, Inc.