December 7, 2023
11:00 am PT
The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) will provide a free webinar covering the research project that examined the potential of developing a network of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) for highway incident response in Massachusetts.
The project first conducted a thorough analysis of incidents from 2013 to 2019 and the impacts of COVID-19. Based on that, the project identified fire, environment/hazmat, and roadway/traffic incidents which could benefit most from a UAS network. The project then reviewed the typical types of UAS for a UAS network, with a focus on “drone-in-a-box.” Thereafter, the project identified three incident scenarios most likely to benefit from a UAS network and evaluated the effectiveness of typical UAS types and conducted tabletop simulation of pilot flights was to assess how a drone could help if available. Three state agencies were interviewed on their UAS usage and gave their feedback on future UAS development. Finally, the project provided recommendations for MassDOT on developing UAS for incident response.
Panelists:
Dr. Danjue Chen, Associate Professor, NC State
Dr. Yuanchang Xie, Professor, UMass Lowell
Christopher Bailey, Chief of Advanced Aviation Programs, MassDOT
Register today for the free webinar: Use of UAS For Surface Transportation Emergency Response!
The Innovation webinar series covers a range of topics related to technology and other innovations, including cross-agency collaborations and partnerships. Watch recordings from past webinars on the Innovation Webinar Series webpage.