AI drone crucial partner in search-and-rescue efforts
AI drone crucial partner in search-and-rescue efforts
2026-04-01
To improve the speed of search-and-rescue efforts, the National Fire Agency spent over NT$1 million on an AI drone which is often used by the US military. It can quickly locate people in need of rescue and can avoid obstacles, flying across challenging terrain. Cities and counties nationwide have use this drone in their search-and-rescue efforts, including Hualien’s Guangfu Township in the wake of last year’s deadly flood.
A drone’s aerial view clearly captures the extent of the flooding in Guangfu last year. Its images helped first responders find the best routes into disaster areas.
It’s indispensable for missions at high altitudes or in challenging terrain like ravines, finding the location of those in need of rescue so that first responders can get to them quicker.
Those aerial images were all captured by the same drone, which cost the National Fire Agency over NT$1 million. This model, currently used by the US military, expertly navigates complex terrain and incorporates AI to support search-and-rescue efforts.
Yang Min-cheng
Emergency rescue leader
In addition to AI-assisted identification, it’s also great at avoiding obstacles. It automatically avoids power lines. Its biggest advantage is that it has 360-degree and 180-degree zoom.
The drone has a total of six cameras and is adept at identifying both obstacles and people, even when they’re hidden. It provides crucial support to first responders, shortening rescue times.
Ma Wu-hsiung
National Fire Agency officer
Previous drones used GPS and sometimes just disconnected. This one can avoid obstacles, even when flying through forests. It’s a powerful tool for our mountain rescue missions. A mission in a ravine might take four to eight hours, but with a drone that can identify objects, we can control it better.
The AI drone is so powerful thanks to its software design and Nvidia AI chip. It records its surroundings while in flight, and if the signal is suddenly lost, it can return by its original route. Operators monitor the drone through a military-grade tablet.
Ma Wu-hsiung
National Fire Agency officer
We set up an AI identification system that sends images to fire departments across cities and counties, where there’s an AI identification computer. The footage is sent back to frontline officers, who can identify specific coordinates or suspicious areas and carry out a second aerial search. This allows for real-time, synchronized sharing of all on-site disaster information.
In challenging environments and devastated areas, this AI drone supports first responders so they can rescue people quicker.
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百萬無人機投入救災行列 AI功能"找人更快速"
2026-04-01
為了提升救災速度，消防署斥資百萬，添購最新款的AI無人機，這一款是美軍的現役機種，不只能迅速尋找待救者的位置，還有非常強大的避障功能，再複雜的地形，都難不倒它！目前各縣市陸續使用這一台無人機，希望能大大強化搜救量能，而去年的花蓮光復鄉溢流，也是派出這一台無人機出任務。
空拍機一起飛，花蓮光復鄉溢流災情一清二楚，救災人員難以進入的區域，無人機打頭陣，等到畫面回傳後，再評估搜救路線，無人機成了救災人員得力的助手。
其他像是這種搜救難度也很高的水域搜救，無人機也幫得上忙，在湍急的河水上方，迅速掌握待救者位置，救援任務時間大幅縮短。
前面所看到的無人機影片，都是這台由消防署，斥資上百萬元，最新添購的複雜地形攜帶型無人機，是目前美軍現役機種，導入最新AI科技，強化搜救量能。
[[新北市急難救助協會大隊長 楊敏政]]
“除了AI的自主辨識以外，它還有很強大的避障功能。譬如說高壓電線，它都能夠自主達到避障的功能，它最優越的地方是，它能夠360度、180度的變焦。”
除了有強大的避障，以及在無人機上下一共六顆的強大鏡頭，還有優越的辯識系統，無人機起飛後可以迅速辨別障礙物，更能馬上框出人在哪裡。實際操作，即便將假人，藏在草叢堆中，無人機也能馬上辨別出來，大幅縮短搜救時間。
[[內政部消防署簡任視察 馬武雄]]
“過去的無人機，使用GPS 它有可能就馬上斷線。這個它可以自動避障，在樹林裡面還可以穿梭，對於我們山域搜救來說，這是一個最大的利器。一個溪谷(搜救)，可能要4個小時 8個小時，那如果有空拍機的話，而且又有辨識能力，去做比較好的控制。”
AI無人機之所以那麼強大，除了軟體設計，也搭載了輝達的AI晶片，飛行同時記錄周遭環境，即便環境惡劣，無人機突然斷訊，它仍然可以照原路飛回來，透過軍規平板監控無人機飛行狀況。
[[內政部消防署簡任視察 馬武雄]]
“我們自己建了一個AI的辨識系統，可以把這個畫面串流到我們的各縣市消防局，有一個AI辨識主機。傳回去第一線的指揮官，知道說哪個座標、哪個畫面，有可疑的地方，可以再去做第二次空拍的搜索。等於是零時差，同步分享所有的災情現場的資訊。”
不管未來搜救任務，地形或環境多麼險峻，都能運用無人機以及AI科技，讓救援更加迅速。
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