There are many different divisions in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). I find it interesting that one arm, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), is looking at ways to counter drone technology being used for nefarious purposes, while the story below shows how Science and Technology (S&T) is looking to provide air and ground drone technology solutions to first responders.
This is how S&T is looking to help responders: “
Feature Article: Unmanned Vehicles Could Lead the Way in Dangerous Rescue Situations.”
Personally, I’ve become more enamored with commercial solutions rather than one contractor designing “a” or “the” solution.
I think you could put out a request for proposals (RFP) and contract with the top 10 to come up with a solution. Then pick the best of the best. Having a hybrid single drone that is airborne or on the ground is not something I’d be looking for.
I had to laugh at the “foot contraption” that they have illustrated for the drone to track first responders on the ground. My daughter’s dog Promise has a GPS tracker on her collar and they can tell if the dog is in the front yard or back yard. The “spur solution” seems clunky to me!
Eric Holdeman is a nationally known emergency manager. He has worked in emergency management at the federal, state and local government levels. Today he serves as the Director, Center for Regional Disaster Resilience (CRDR), which is part of the Pacific Northwest Economic Region (PNWER). The focus for his work there is engaging the public and private sectors to work collaboratively on issues of common interest, regionally and cross jurisdictionally.
