As with the satellite imagery, drones also come with a range of practical, technical and ethical limitations that should be taken into account when considering their deployment. While many industrialized countries have regulated the use of drones in their legislation, this is not usually the case with the least developed states. This does not mean that one should not check if any national or local regulation exists. For example, flying of drones might not be allowed at the proximity of airports or military sites.
Beyond the legal issues, one should also consider the ethical issues, including the safety of the drones, as well as the accountability to the population in the area of interest. Are the people in the area - possibly just affected by a major disaster - aware if and why the drone(s) is being flown at the proximity of their homes?
Furthermore, as with all humanitarian processes especially in large-scale disasters, a coordinated approach is likely to help each stakeholder to make most out of the drone use. With proper coordination, we can avoid a situation where each actor is deploying their own device, duplicating the effort while leaving behind other affected communities.
The process, steps and tips presented below offer an outline for the utilization of UAVs in humanitarian work. While the legal and ethical aspects apply to any circumstances, the steps can and should still be adapted to best serve a particular project objective.
1. Setting the aims and objectives
As with the other technologies supporting the humanitarian efforts, UAVs should not be deployed without careful consideration for the added value they will bring to an operation. Good questions to ask oneself include:
2. Research on the rules and legislation
With the increasing utilization of UAVs across the sectors, more and more governments are adopting formal legislation on the use of such devices. However, this is not yet the case everywhere, especially in the less technologically advanced developing countries. However, even in the absence of formal legislation, there might still be written or unwritten rules that apply to UAVs. For example, unless otherwise stated, it is normally against the law to operate a UAV at the proximity of an airport or military base.
Where no formal legislation on the UAVs exist, the UAV operator should adhere to the rules of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO):
3. Determining the Area of Interest (AoI)
The process of determining and defining a sufficient AoI will depend of the scope and objectives of a project. For example, when mapping of a small-sized individual refugee camp with clear boundaries, this area will also be the AoI. However, in the context of large-scale disasters such as earthquakes or tropical cyclones with impact on multiple districts, there might not be sufficient time to cover all the affected areas. In such situations, prioritization and/or sampling might be required for defining a suitable AoI.
4. Identifying and procuring the UAV operator
In many humanitarian contexts, there might be already a business agreement in place with a relevant UAV operator. However, this is not necessarily always the case, especially in remote areas with low technical capacities. Ideally, as with any humanitarian procurement, a strong preference should be given to local operators, preferably those with a proven track record of quality services. An externally produced operator (including a non-local NGO or INGO) should be used only in case there is no local capacity or technology to deliver the requested services on time.
5. Specifications for the flying process
Variables such as the size of the AoI and the required image resolution will determine the flying distances, altitude and required time. Furthermore, those factors will affect if one or several flying rounds will be needed for capturing the required imagery in the correct resolution.
Normally, the drone operator will have an existing form to calculate the specifications for the image capturing process. In case no, Pix4D, a Switzerland-based photogammetry and UAV specialist company, provides a free form to conduct the calculations:
Pix4D: TOOLS - Ground Sample Distance (GSD) calculator
6. The flying process
Depending on the size of the AoI and the image resolution, one or several UAV flights will be required for capturing the requested imagery. The larger the area and the higher the resolution, the longer will be the time needed for completing the UAV flying process. Consideration should also be given for the timetable of the flying process. In post-disaster situations, the type and degree of destruction - such as areas covered by flood water - should still be present. On the other hand, the majority of the UAV cameras are not strong enough for capturing high-quality imagery under rain or snow. Also, extreme cold temperatures may impact the UAV performance.
7. Processing and analysing the imagery
The raw imagery captured by the UAV needs to be further processed in order to make the subsequent data useful for the operational needs. The first step is to stitch the multiple raw images into one unitary orthomosaic - this can be achieved with a commonplace GIS software, including ArcGIS Pro or QGIS. Likewise, there are many online platforms for processing the imagery - some of them also provide the tools to conduct further modelling and analysis on the orthomosaic. Some commonly used imagery processing tools include OpenDroneMap and MapKnitter while others, such as Pix4D or DroneMapper come with a license.
Furthermore, the UAV orthomosaic can be made available on a dedicated UAV imagery sharing platform, such as the OpenAerialMap. When available here, any actor working in the same area can download and make use of the UAV imagery. This could be especially beneficial for long-term recovery or disaster risk reduction projects.
8. Sharing the findings
By making the UAV-derived analysis or other products available for public use, one can serve the entire humanitarian community in the disaster response, recovery and prevention efforts. Moreover, sharing of the analysis (rather than raw or processed data), humanitarian actors without excessive GIS or IM capacity will be able to use the products for their planning and decision-making.
However, certain factors, such as opposition from the local community or government, might prevent public sharing of the products, especially for very granulated data or analysis. On the other hand, sharing of the generalized findings - such as the number of houses destroyed or damaged by a hailstorm - might still be acceptable for all parties involved. Accordingly, as in all other phases, engagement with the local community (and government, where relevant) is essential for achieving a compromise.
In addition to the publication of the products, one should not forget to advertise them on the relevant Skype/Slack/Teams groups, email groups and social media channels (Twitter/LinkedIn/Facebook).
9. Local capacity development
As in almost any part of a humanitarian intervention, operating the UAVs should also come with an aspect of local capacity development. At minimum, this could include improving the data-driven decision-making capacities of the local disaster authorities with the use of the UAV imagery. On a more advanced level, local community members can be trained to become competent UAV pilots. Ideally, this should include a donation of a drone for the use of the community, so that the trained pilots can practice and further improve their skills.
Before the flight
During the flight
After the flight
Outputs and case studies
Would you like to share your own experience with an UAV? Do you know a good story to share here? If yes, please contact us at: fis-ocha@un.org
Code of Conduct
Standard Operational Procedures (SOPs)
Essential reading
Useful instructions and tips
Technical guidance
Templates
Tutorials and learning materials
Humanitarian UAV actors