While the use of unmanned systems by emergency services and aid organisations is already widespread several key capability gaps still exist, covering areas such as ruggedness, payloads and cost.
In the UK alone, forty police and fire service teams are currently deploying Aeryon Skyrangers, DGI 2.10s or Yuneecs. The teams each operate between one and six aircraft and used for a variety of tasks including searching for missing people, and play an important role with decision making processes during emergencies.
Elsewhere, drones are deployed in activities as diverse as land-mine detection in Cambodia and by Medicines Sans Frontiers