A groundbreaking development emerged from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Dharwad as a team of faculty and students introduced a pioneering fire rescue assistant drone. Professors Sudheer Siddapureddy and Ameer Mulla spearheaded this initiative with funding from the TiHAN Foundation and IIT Hyderabad. The unveiling took place during the two-day workshop on ‘Drone design and autonomous navigation in fire rescue’ (DDANFR 2024), jointly organized by the Fire and Thermal Research Laboratory (FTRL) and the Control Systems and Robotics Laboratory at IIT Dharwad on May 31 and June 1.
Significance of the Innovation: Prof Sudheer Siddapureddy, faculty-in-charge of FTRL, highlighted the drone’s significance within the fire safety community. He emphasized the challenges involved in crafting a drone compact enough to maneuver indoor spaces while enduring high temperatures. The FTRL’s contributions, including identifying sensors for sooty environments and crafting protective shields through fire experiments, underscored the innovation’s robustness. Additionally, the team continues to explore vital areas of fire safety such as emergency evacuations.
Technological Breakthrough: Prof Ameer Mulla elucidated on the Control Systems and Robotics Laboratory’s advancements in navigating the drone amid smoky conditions. This breakthrough extends beyond fire safety, with potential applications in crowd management at various venues like railway stations, malls, and pilgrimages.
Institutional Perspective: Prof Venkappayya Desai, director of IIT Dharwad, reflected on the historical significance of IITs and their contributions, highlighting the development of biotoilets for Indian Railways. He emphasized the exceptional quality of research conducted at IITs and their pivotal role in fostering technological advancements and innovative solutions for real-world problems.
Workshop Highlights: The workshop featured keynote speeches from experts like Prof Bhaskar Dixit of Jain University and Siva Bathina, a post-doctoral researcher from IIT Madras. Day one focused on fire safety, drone design, and navigation algorithms, while day two included hands-on demonstrations by industry experts, emphasizing fire evacuation and navigation software.