When first responders need to rescue people from an earthquake-ravaged home, they need real-time information. If law enforcement officers are looking for a shooter in a crowded building, they must learn everything they can about the scene. 

Emergency responders need to know where people are and whether the building is structurally stable enough for them to attempt a rescue. 

But timely information can be scarce during a natural disaster or other dangerous incident. 

In many of these situations, sending an uncrewed aircraft system (UAS)—also known as a drone—into a building can provide lifesaving intelligence by capturing video footage, identifying potential hazards, and mapping the inside of the building. 

Judges watching the competition. Credit: R. Wilson/NIST

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