Indago

Australia-based aviation services provider Heliwest has used an unmanned aerial system (UAS) to evaluate the devastation of Cyclone Pam in Vanuatu, an island nation located in the South Pacific Ocean.

The company was selected by the Vanuatu Government and the World Bank to carry out the mission for a rapid damage assessment.

Using Lockheed Martin’s Indago small UAS, Heliwest collected imagery of the damage over a two-week mission.

World Bank senior disaster risk management specialist Michael Bonte-Grapentin said: "Cyclone Pam caused a huge amount of damage and devastation across Vanuatu.

"The rapid damage assessments provided by Heliwest offered much-needed information about areas that were damaged by Cyclone Pam, often where ground access is limited and challenging.

"The Indago can work day and night to augment disaster relief efforts and humanitarian aid missions to help save lives and begin the recovery process."

"These images will help inform the Government of Vanuatu in progressing their disaster response activities."

According to Lockheed Martin, Indago is designed to provide 360° surveillance of an area, and has an endurance of more than 45 minutes at a range up to 5km.

The aircraft is said to provide operators a mapping capability with similar coverage of a larger fixed wing system.

Lockheed Martin mission systems and training unmanned integrated solutions business development director Jay McConville said: "The Indago can work day and night to augment disaster relief efforts and humanitarian aid missions to help save lives and begin the recovery process."

Heliwest said that the operators deployed a full system by commercial flight, while on the ground the Indago allowed them to remain independent and mobile.

Image: Heliwest used Indago to collect imagery of the damage over a two-week mission. Photo: courtesy of Heliwest.