Camera-Equipped Mini UAVs for Wilderness Search Support: Task Analysis and Lessons from Field Trials

Wilderness Search and Rescue (WiSAR) is a complicated problem requiring thousands of hours of search over large and complex terrains. Using mini-UAVs to support WiSAR has the potential to dramatically improve search efficiency. In this report, we present the results from a goal-directed task analysis and a partial cognitive work analysis of the WiSAR problem. The results of these analyses is translated into a set of tasks that emerge when a mini-UAV is introduced into the WiSAR domain. Given these tasks and a set of technologies that provide fundamental support for the tasks, we report the results from a series of field trials. These field trials indicate the need to improve video presentation and to coordinate UAV resources with ground search resources.

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