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Natural Disasters
Drones have been vital in locating survivors during natural disasters. After the hurricanes struck in Texas, Florida, and Puerto Rico, drones used thermal imaging to pinpoint the locations of people in need of rescue. Drone efforts were even used after the 2017 earthquake in Mexico, helping locate dozens of missing persons trapped under wreckage and rubble.
In the aftermath of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, drones were launched as part of an effort to survey flooded neighborhoods, recommend resource deployments, monitor levees, assess damage to bridges, roads, and power lines, and even predict further future flooding.