• Home
  • About RSIS
    • Introduction
    • Building the Foundations
    • Welcome Message
    • Board of Governors
    • Staff Profiles
      • Executive Deputy Chairman’s Office
      • Dean’s Office
      • Management
      • Distinguished Fellows
      • Faculty and Research
      • Associate Research Fellows, Senior Analysts and Research Analysts
      • Visiting Fellows
      • Adjunct Fellows
      • Administrative Staff
    • Honours and Awards for RSIS Staff and Students
    • RSIS Endowment Fund
    • Endowed Professorships
    • Career Opportunities
    • Getting to RSIS
  • Research
    • Research Centres
      • Centre for Multilateralism Studies (CMS)
      • Centre for Non-Traditional Security Studies (NTS Centre)
      • Centre of Excellence for National Security (CENS)
      • Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies (IDSS)
      • International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research (ICPVTR)
    • Research Programmes
      • National Security Studies Programme (NSSP)
      • Studies in Inter-Religious Relations in Plural Societies (SRP) Programme
    • Future Issues and Technology Cluster
    • [email protected] Newsletter
    • Other Research
      • Science and Technology Studies Programme (STSP) (2017-2020)
  • Graduate Education
    • Graduate Programmes Office
    • Overview
    • MSc (Asian Studies)
    • MSc (International Political Economy)
    • MSc (International Relations)
    • MSc (Strategic Studies)
    • NTU-Warwick Double Masters Programme
    • PhD Programme
    • Exchange Partners and Programmes
    • How to Apply
    • Financial Assistance
    • Meet the Admissions Team: Information Sessions and other events
    • RSIS Alumni
  • Alumni & Networks
    • Alumni
    • Asia-Pacific Programme for Senior Military Officers (APPSMO)
    • Asia-Pacific Programme for Senior National Security Officers (APPSNO)
    • International Strategy Forum-Asia (ISF-Asia)
    • SRP Executive Programme
    • Terrorism Analyst Training Course (TATC)
  • Publications
    • RSIS Publications
      • Annual Reviews
      • Books
      • Bulletins and Newsletters
      • Commentaries
      • Counter Terrorist Trends and Analyses
      • Commemorative / Event Reports
      • IDSS Paper
      • Interreligious Relations
      • Monographs
      • NTS Insight
      • Policy Reports
      • Working Papers
      • RSIS Publications for the Year
    • Glossary of Abbreviations
    • External Publications
      • Authored Books
      • Journal Articles
      • Edited Books
      • Chapters in Edited Books
      • Policy Reports
      • Working Papers
      • Op-Eds
      • External Publications for the Year
    • Policy-relevant Articles Given RSIS Award
  • Media
    • Great Powers
    • Sustainable Security
    • Other Resource Pages
    • Media Highlights
    • News Releases
    • Speeches
    • Vidcast Channel
    • Audio/Video Forums
  • Events
  • Giving
  • Contact Us
Facebook
Twitter
YouTube
RSISVideoCast RSISVideoCast rsis.sg
Linkedin
instagram instagram rsis.sg
RSS
  • Home
  • About RSIS
      • Introduction
      • Building the Foundations
      • Welcome Message
      • Board of Governors
      • Staff Profiles
        • Executive Deputy Chairman’s Office
        • Dean’s Office
        • Management
        • Distinguished Fellows
        • Faculty and Research
        • Associate Research Fellows, Senior Analysts and Research Analysts
        • Visiting Fellows
        • Adjunct Fellows
        • Administrative Staff
      • Honours and Awards for RSIS Staff and Students
      • RSIS Endowment Fund
      • Endowed Professorships
      • Career Opportunities
      • Getting to RSIS
  • Research
      • Research Centres
        • Centre for Multilateralism Studies (CMS)
        • Centre for Non-Traditional Security Studies (NTS Centre)
        • Centre of Excellence for National Security (CENS)
        • Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies (IDSS)
        • International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research (ICPVTR)
      • Research Programmes
        • National Security Studies Programme (NSSP)
        • Studies in Inter-Religious Relations in Plural Societies (SRP) Programme
      • Future Issues and Technology Cluster
      • [email protected] Newsletter
      • Other Research
        • Science and Technology Studies Programme (STSP) (2017-2020)
  • Graduate Education
      • Graduate Programmes Office
      • Overview
      • MSc (Asian Studies)
      • MSc (International Political Economy)
      • MSc (International Relations)
      • MSc (Strategic Studies)
      • NTU-Warwick Double Masters Programme
      • PhD Programme
      • Exchange Partners and Programmes
      • How to Apply
      • Financial Assistance
      • Meet the Admissions Team: Information Sessions and other events
      • RSIS Alumni
  • Alumni & Networks
      • Alumni
      • Asia-Pacific Programme for Senior Military Officers (APPSMO)
      • Asia-Pacific Programme for Senior National Security Officers (APPSNO)
      • International Strategy Forum-Asia (ISF-Asia)
      • SRP Executive Programme
      • Terrorism Analyst Training Course (TATC)
  • Publications
      • RSIS Publications
        • Annual Reviews
        • Books
        • Bulletins and Newsletters
        • Commentaries
        • Counter Terrorist Trends and Analyses
        • Commemorative / Event Reports
        • IDSS Paper
        • Interreligious Relations
        • Monographs
        • NTS Insight
        • Policy Reports
        • Working Papers
        • RSIS Publications for the Year
      • Glossary of Abbreviations
      • External Publications
        • Authored Books
        • Journal Articles
        • Edited Books
        • Chapters in Edited Books
        • Policy Reports
        • Working Papers
        • Op-Eds
        • External Publications for the Year
      • Policy-relevant Articles Given RSIS Award
  • Media
      • Great Powers
      • Sustainable Security
      • Other Resource Pages
      • Media Highlights
      • News Releases
      • Speeches
      • Vidcast Channel
      • Audio/Video Forums
  • Events
  • Giving
  • Contact Us
  • instagram instagram rsis.sg
Connect

Getting to RSIS

Map

Address

Nanyang Technological University
Block S4, Level B3,
50 Nanyang Avenue,
Singapore 639798

View location on Google maps Click here for directions to RSIS

Get in Touch

    Connect with Us

      rsis.ntu
      rsis_ntu
      rsisntu
    RSISVideoCast RSISVideoCast rsisvideocast
      school/rsis-ntu
    instagram instagram rsis.sg
      RSS
    Subscribe to RSIS Publications
    Subscribe to RSIS Events

    RSIS Intranet

    S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies Think Tank and Graduate School Ponder The Improbable Since 1966
    Nanyang Technological University Nanyang Technological University

    Skip to content

     
    • RSIS
    • Publication
    • RSIS Publications
    • CO16253 | Disaster Drones: Great Potential, Few Challenges?
    • Annual Reviews
    • Books
    • Bulletins and Newsletters
    • Commentaries
    • Counter Terrorist Trends and Analyses
    • Commemorative / Event Reports
    • IDSS Paper
    • Interreligious Relations
    • Monographs
    • NTS Insight
    • Policy Reports
    • Working Papers
    • RSIS Publications for the Year

    CO16253 | Disaster Drones: Great Potential, Few Challenges?

    10 October 2016

    download pdf
    RSIS Commentary is a platform to provide timely and, where appropriate, policy-relevant commentary and analysis of topical and contemporary issues. The authors’ views are their own and do not represent the official position of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), NTU. These commentaries may be reproduced with prior permission from RSIS and due credit to the author(s) and RSIS. Please email to Editor RSIS Commentary at [email protected].

    Synopsis

    The proliferation of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) in emergency response highlights their increasingly important role in disaster relief. However, the use of UAVs in such operations also raises important ethical and legal issues, which need to be addressed.

    Commentary

    UNMANNED AERIAL Vehicles (UAVs), popularly known as drones, are one of the most promising and powerful new technologies to improve disaster response and relief operations. UAVs are frequently portrayed as being a game-changer for disaster relief, both with respect to gathering information and delivering aid. UAVs equipped with imaging devices can capture timely and useful information for making more informed decisions for effective and timely responses in post-disaster settings.

    However, the use of UAVs in disaster relief operations raises challenging questions around regulation, privacy, safety, and how to best integrate UAVs into disaster response. There are also important unanswered questions on community consent and participation, responsible data gathering and management. Answering these questions will require developing legal frameworks, coherent policies, good practices and guidance for deploying UAVs in disaster-affected communities. Humanitarian agencies will need to address these challenges through transparency, community engagement and guidelines on privacy and data security.

    Life-saving Technology

    Despite the fact that most of the news coverage about UAVs has focused on their negatives, such as interfering with air traffic and the use of armed drones, there is growing interest in using UAVs in humanitarian response. Manufacturers are promoting UAVs as ‘life-saving technology’ for humanitarians that will complement traditional manned relief operations. When a disaster strikes, UAVs are able to assist with risk assessment, mapping, and planning. They can be used to provide relief workers with better situational awareness, carry out structural analysis of damaged infrastructure, locate survivors amidst the rubble, and deliver required supplies and equipment. With this additional information, humanitarian actors are better able to understand the situation on the ground, and can plan and carry out their response more efficiently and effectively.

    Humanitarian organisations have started to use UAVs for data collection and monitoring that include real-time information and situation monitoring, search and rescue, and mapping. Portable micro-UAVs were deployed by humanitarian actors in Nepal after the earthquake and in the Philippines after Typhoon Haiyan for mapping and needs assessment. In the aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan, UAVs were flown along the coast to evaluate damage and see which villages were affected. In the aftermath of the Nepal earthquake, UAVs were used to search areas inaccessible by land, and to check if roads were travelable. Indeed, camera-equipped UAVs play an increasingly important role in coordinating emergency responses of any disaster.

    While the most common use of UAVs in humanitarian response today is data collection, mapping and monitoring, research is underway on the delivery of goods, particularly smaller items such as vaccines or other small medical supplies. The delivery of medical payload using UAVs was tested in Papua New Guinea where access to healthcare is significantly limited by geographical and logistical constraints. UAVs can also act as temporary telecommunications infrastructure. Airborne UAVs could serve as temporary AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System), sending Wi-Fi and cell phone service when communications are needed the most. In 2014, a research team from the University of North Texas demonstrated a drone capable of supplying Wi-Fi to disaster areas with a range of up to 3.1 miles. With that capability, cell phone and internet service can be restored promptly in the aftermath of disaster by using UAVs as temporary AWACS which is pivotal in immediate response.

    Challenges to Effective Use of UAVs

    The use of UAVs in humanitarian action also poses challenges particularly around legal and regulatory issues. Many countries where humanitarians work do not have an appropriate legal framework, which means that the use of UAVs are cleared on an ad hoc basis with local and national authorities. During the Typhoon Haiyan response, the use of UAVs was cleared by a special agreement with the Mayor of Tacloban as the Philippines did not have necessary regulations. Prior to the April 2015 Nepal earthquake, UAVs were not regulated and many rescue and relief organisations brought their own for search and rescue, and to document the devastation. Due to the influx of UAVs, the Nepal government restricted their use by enforcing new regulations.

    Another issue is over the governance of privacy and data protection for using UAVs in humanitarian operations. Regulators are debating how to deal with UAVs’ capability to discover private property and capture sensitive personal information. When imagery collected by a UAV is stored, privacy and data protection issues are raised such as how it can be accessed, accumulated and distributed. As such, any use of UAVs by humanitarian actors needs clear policies on which data and information they will share or make public, how they will secure it and how long they will store it. Because of these concerns, transparency and engagement with communities or local authorities will be critical for humanitarians operating UAVs.

    UAVs: Future Prospects

    There is no doubt that humanitarian actors will continue to use UAVs as the technology becomes more affordable and accessible. The trend of using UAVs for the purpose of conducting surveys, carrying out investigations, collecting information and taking photographs is gradually increasing in post-disaster situations. UAVs have the potential to revolutionise disaster planning, preparation, response, and reconstruction. Nevertheless, for this potential to be fully realized, policy makers need to develop supportive legal and regulatory frameworks, clear guidelines and rules consistent with international humanitarian law. Humanitarian actors also need to advocate for national regulatory agencies to recognize the humanitarian uses of UAVs.

    One of the major obstacles to deploying UAVs remains a concern over privacy; hence there is a need to develop best practices for transparency and engaging local authorities and communities, including data security guidelines. Last but not least, more research and evidence is needed to identify the comparative advantages and effectiveness of using UAVs. This is particularly needed on integrating aerial observation and data collection into needs and damage assessments, and search and rescue. Addressing these challenges will be an important step in moving UAVs for disaster response and relief operations from a promising technology to a game-changing reality.

    About the Author

    Zin Bo Htet is Research Analyst with the Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) Programme, Centre for Non-Traditional Security (NTS) Studies at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.

    Categories: Commentaries / Country and Region Studies / Non-Traditional Security / East Asia and Asia Pacific / Global / Southeast Asia and ASEAN

    Last updated on 11/10/2016

    RSIS Commentary is a platform to provide timely and, where appropriate, policy-relevant commentary and analysis of topical and contemporary issues. The authors’ views are their own and do not represent the official position of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), NTU. These commentaries may be reproduced with prior permission from RSIS and due credit to the author(s) and RSIS. Please email to Editor RSIS Commentary at [email protected].

    Synopsis

    The proliferation of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) in emergency response highlights their increasingly important role in disaster relief. However, the use of UAVs in such operations also raises important ethical and legal issues, which need to be addressed.

    Commentary

    UNMANNED AERIAL Vehicles (UAVs), popularly known as drones, are one of the most promising and powerful new technologies to improve disaster response and relief operations. UAVs are frequently portrayed as being a game-changer for disaster relief, both with respect to gathering information and delivering aid. UAVs equipped with imaging devices can capture timely and useful information for making more informed decisions for effective and timely responses in post-disaster settings.

    However, the use of UAVs in disaster relief operations raises challenging questions around regulation, privacy, safety, and how to best integrate UAVs into disaster response. There are also important unanswered questions on community consent and participation, responsible data gathering and management. Answering these questions will require developing legal frameworks, coherent policies, good practices and guidance for deploying UAVs in disaster-affected communities. Humanitarian agencies will need to address these challenges through transparency, community engagement and guidelines on privacy and data security.

    Life-saving Technology

    Despite the fact that most of the news coverage about UAVs has focused on their negatives, such as interfering with air traffic and the use of armed drones, there is growing interest in using UAVs in humanitarian response. Manufacturers are promoting UAVs as ‘life-saving technology’ for humanitarians that will complement traditional manned relief operations. When a disaster strikes, UAVs are able to assist with risk assessment, mapping, and planning. They can be used to provide relief workers with better situational awareness, carry out structural analysis of damaged infrastructure, locate survivors amidst the rubble, and deliver required supplies and equipment. With this additional information, humanitarian actors are better able to understand the situation on the ground, and can plan and carry out their response more efficiently and effectively.

    Humanitarian organisations have started to use UAVs for data collection and monitoring that include real-time information and situation monitoring, search and rescue, and mapping. Portable micro-UAVs were deployed by humanitarian actors in Nepal after the earthquake and in the Philippines after Typhoon Haiyan for mapping and needs assessment. In the aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan, UAVs were flown along the coast to evaluate damage and see which villages were affected. In the aftermath of the Nepal earthquake, UAVs were used to search areas inaccessible by land, and to check if roads were travelable. Indeed, camera-equipped UAVs play an increasingly important role in coordinating emergency responses of any disaster.

    While the most common use of UAVs in humanitarian response today is data collection, mapping and monitoring, research is underway on the delivery of goods, particularly smaller items such as vaccines or other small medical supplies. The delivery of medical payload using UAVs was tested in Papua New Guinea where access to healthcare is significantly limited by geographical and logistical constraints. UAVs can also act as temporary telecommunications infrastructure. Airborne UAVs could serve as temporary AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System), sending Wi-Fi and cell phone service when communications are needed the most. In 2014, a research team from the University of North Texas demonstrated a drone capable of supplying Wi-Fi to disaster areas with a range of up to 3.1 miles. With that capability, cell phone and internet service can be restored promptly in the aftermath of disaster by using UAVs as temporary AWACS which is pivotal in immediate response.

    Challenges to Effective Use of UAVs

    The use of UAVs in humanitarian action also poses challenges particularly around legal and regulatory issues. Many countries where humanitarians work do not have an appropriate legal framework, which means that the use of UAVs are cleared on an ad hoc basis with local and national authorities. During the Typhoon Haiyan response, the use of UAVs was cleared by a special agreement with the Mayor of Tacloban as the Philippines did not have necessary regulations. Prior to the April 2015 Nepal earthquake, UAVs were not regulated and many rescue and relief organisations brought their own for search and rescue, and to document the devastation. Due to the influx of UAVs, the Nepal government restricted their use by enforcing new regulations.

    Another issue is over the governance of privacy and data protection for using UAVs in humanitarian operations. Regulators are debating how to deal with UAVs’ capability to discover private property and capture sensitive personal information. When imagery collected by a UAV is stored, privacy and data protection issues are raised such as how it can be accessed, accumulated and distributed. As such, any use of UAVs by humanitarian actors needs clear policies on which data and information they will share or make public, how they will secure it and how long they will store it. Because of these concerns, transparency and engagement with communities or local authorities will be critical for humanitarians operating UAVs.

    UAVs: Future Prospects

    There is no doubt that humanitarian actors will continue to use UAVs as the technology becomes more affordable and accessible. The trend of using UAVs for the purpose of conducting surveys, carrying out investigations, collecting information and taking photographs is gradually increasing in post-disaster situations. UAVs have the potential to revolutionise disaster planning, preparation, response, and reconstruction. Nevertheless, for this potential to be fully realized, policy makers need to develop supportive legal and regulatory frameworks, clear guidelines and rules consistent with international humanitarian law. Humanitarian actors also need to advocate for national regulatory agencies to recognize the humanitarian uses of UAVs.

    One of the major obstacles to deploying UAVs remains a concern over privacy; hence there is a need to develop best practices for transparency and engaging local authorities and communities, including data security guidelines. Last but not least, more research and evidence is needed to identify the comparative advantages and effectiveness of using UAVs. This is particularly needed on integrating aerial observation and data collection into needs and damage assessments, and search and rescue. Addressing these challenges will be an important step in moving UAVs for disaster response and relief operations from a promising technology to a game-changing reality.

    About the Author

    Zin Bo Htet is Research Analyst with the Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) Programme, Centre for Non-Traditional Security (NTS) Studies at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.

    Categories: Commentaries / Country and Region Studies / Non-Traditional Security

    Last updated on 11/10/2016

    Back to top

    Terms of Use | Privacy Statement
    Copyright © S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies. All rights reserved.
    This site uses cookies to offer you a better browsing experience. By continuing, you are agreeing to the use of cookies on your device as described in our privacy policy. Learn more
    OK
    Latest Book
    CO16253 | Disaster Drones: Great Potential, Few Challenges?

    Synopsis

    The proliferation of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) in emergency response highlights their increasingly important role in disaster relief. However, th ...
    more info