The drone, new weapon of Humanitarian

First used by the military, the drone is now recognized as indispensable tool for humanitarian organizations.

Last April, during the earthquake in Nepal, the Swiss NGO Medair, based in Lausanne, specializing in emergency aid has used drones to measure the extent of damage, namely what were the areas in need the most urgent intervention and plan distributions for areas to which access had been blocked.

“In these situations, the drones are faster, more efficient and more profitable than humans,” says Nathalie Fauveau, head of press relations at Medair.

The NGO does is not his first attempt, she is collaborating since 2013 with senseFly, start-up property of Vaud today Parrott group.

The advantages associated with the use of drones on the affected areas are now recognized by all actors involved. These new tools provide immediate assistance, crucial in disaster areas where every hour is counted. By providing information quickly or in real time via streaming, assist NGOs in their strategic planning.

Read the full article (in french) on Bilan website


Related Articles

Humanitarian partnerships: reality lags behind the rhetoric

January 2015. Just over a year after Typhoon Haiyan devastated parts of the Philippines important lessons need to be learnt about how international actors partner and work with national organisations.

Water Scarcity Could Hit Economic Growth Says World Bank

05/03/2016. Water scarcity, exacerbated by climate change, could cost some regions up to 6 percent of their GDP, spur migration, and spark conflict.

UNISDR’s Margareta Wahlström on the Nitty-gritty of Disaster Risk Reduction

IPS Editor in Chief Ramesh Jaura exploring the transfer of technology, the future of official development assistance (ODA) and the crucial role of the civil society in reducing disaster risk.