New Aerial Camera System for Civil Protection

On 16 March, the new real-time capable 4k camera system took off for the first time with the DLR research helicopter FHS Eurocopter EC 135 and is now operational. The aim of the system is to take high-resolution aerial photographs and process and evaluate them within seconds. From the aerial photographs, location pictures, as well as terrain and traffic data are derived and transmitted to the ground via data link. There, they are directly available to the decision-makers of public authorities and organisations with security tasks in the context of major events and disasters.

Within the traffic research project VABENE++ similar systems are already in use. The predecessor model of this helicopter system has been in operation on DLR's own BO 105 helicopter since 2014 and has since then proven its worth in numerous operations, e. g. disaster control exercises conducted by the Federal Office for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief and the Bavarian Red Cross. With a general licence for the helicopter type EC135, the system can also be used on civil protection helicopters of the Federal Republic of Germany and, if necessary, can support federal and state governments.