The College Station team implemented a program to train at-risk youth to use drones and marine vehicles to gather and analyze data for community pre-disaster mitigation efforts.
THE CHALLENGE
Each year floods, hurricanes, and wildfires in the US cost hundreds of lives and $125B in economic losses, with disproportionate impacts on people of color and low-income communities.
Low-cost ($1-12K) unmanned aerial systems (drones) and unmanned marine surface vehicles (robot boats), coupled with advances in artificial intelligence and geospatial software, could revolutionize how communities prepare, prevent, and minimize losses. However, Texas emergency managers currently lack the workforce and knowledge to investigate and implement these technologies in a meaningful way.
THE TEAM
Research Partners:
Texas A&M
Texas A&M Galveston
Institute for a Disaster Resilient
Texas
TEEX, TEES
Plus consortium of universities
Civic Partners:Ā
Texas Division of Emergency
ManagementĀ
Texas A&M ForestĀ
ServiceĀ
Bryan Fire Depart.Ā
Galveston Economic Dev. PartnershipĀ
Houston ISD
Galveston ISDĀ
Bryan ISDĀ Ā
Ā
THE APPROACH
The team developed a program for at-risk youth from the Bryan, Houston and Galveston Independent School Districts to train with local emergency managers and leverage a broader disaster science research to use drones and marine vehicles to gather and process data for pre-disaster mitigation efforts.
THE IMPACT
The team engaged with 39 students and five teachers in four high schools, in addition to three student summer internships.
The team held a one-day meeting at Disaster City with emergency managers from Texas Department of Emergency Management, Texas A&M Forest Service, Brazos Valley Office of Emergency Management, teachers and students from four high schools, and academics.
Prototyping teaching FAA Part 107 drone licensing exam as after-school program for 12 students.