Disaster relief project DAREs to think different with drones

In disaster zones has had its first successful demonstration. The Distributed Autonomous and Resilient Emergency Management System (or DARE) project took to the skies in the University of Glasgow's Stevenson Building today (Thursday 12 March). Over the last three years, the DARE research team has developed a system of portable, battery-powered communications nodes which use ultra-fast 5G networking to communicate with airborne drones to deliver wireless internet access to users on the ground. Once set up, the system runs autonomously, self-organising to deal with potential network and coverage problems and deliver reliable, high-speed internet access. Ultimately, the researchers hope the technology will be available to first responders on the scene of terrorist attacks or natural disasters like earthquakes or tsunamis. DARE is led by the principal investigator Regius Professor Rahim Tafazolli from the University of Surrey in collaboration with the Universities of Glasgow, Kingston and Malaya. Work on the project began in May 2017, with £1.2m in support from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council's Global Research Challenge Fund.