Datron Scout assists in chemical train derailment

Datron’s Scout UAV has been successfully deployed to assist first responders dealing with a derailed tanker car containing toxic chemicals in Louisville, KY on 1 November.  According to Datron, the UAV provided local, state and federal officials with real time video and photography to assess the extent of the incident.

The derailed tanker car was carrying butadiene, a chemical commonly found in the rubber used to make tires, as well as hydrogen fluoride which can cause severe respiratory damage.

Joel Embry, president of Drone Systems, said: ‘We were able to fly directly over the site of the derailment at various altitudes on multiple days to provide high resolution video as well as still photography to the teams on the ground.  They were literally taking the photography we provided and using them in real time in their situational briefings to make decisions on progress as well as next steps.

‘The ability to deploy the Datron Scout within minutes coupled with the quality of the imagery and the absence of risk to any personnel collecting the imagery made the Datron Scout the perfect solution to assess the situation in real-time. The expense associated with using a Datron Scout represents a fraction of the cost of deploying a helicopter for this type of aerial observation and intelligence gathering.’

Scout’s ‘hover and stare’ capability provides sustained, in-depth observation and documentation of specific locations.  The unit’s rugged design assures flight capability in inclement weather with wind gusts up to 50 MPH.

Chris Barter, Scout Program Manager at Datron, added: ‘This is exactly the type of public safety scenario the Datron Scout was designed for. When the situation requires an in depth aerial view of the circumstances and quick response without risk to the team on the ground, the Scout provides the ideal solution.’