Recently, the United States Army announced that it is exploring the utilization of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for medical and disaster response operations.

During the recently concluded Northern Strike 2023 exercise in Michigan, American soldiers deployed reconfigured drones equipped with advanced cameras and computer systems to assess the vital signs of wounded soldiers from the sky. This innovation marks a significant stride towards more efficient casualty identification and care in challenging environments.

Revolutionizing Casualty Assessment

The concept of using drones to identify casualties is part of the US Army’s Vision and Intelligence Systems for Medical Teaming Applications (VISTA) project. This visionary initiative, a tri-service program, aims to develop computer-vision-based software algorithms to swiftly detect injuries, especially in areas deemed too dangerous for human intervention.

During the exercise, the Army successfully tested the reconfigured drones at altitudes ranging from 10 to 50 meters (32 to 164 feet) above the casualties. They reported the collected vital sign information to medical personnel stationed at a safe distance. Despite heavy obstructions during simulated search and rescue missions in forested and brush-covered areas, the drones proved their ability to detect casualties effectively.