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»GALILEO SAR AVALANCHE« - One of the first research projects in the area of Galilieo applications |
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What
Quicker and high-precision localisation of persons buried by an avalanche using Galileo signals.
How
Localisation of avalanche rescue beacons by 3G-SatNav*. Localisation of mobile phones is planned for the near future.
Why
Current search methods are often time-consuming. The chance of survival of buried persons reduces with every minute.
For Whom
For professional search and rescue teams. The availability for alpine hikers and alpine ski mountaineers is planned.
Where
At avalanche disasters. The system technology is also transferable to other scenarios (building collapses, earthquakes, mudfl ows).
When
Successful tests have already been realised with a high-precision localisation of less than 1 metre.
Who
Main partner of the project »Galileo SAR Avalanche«:
- Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics IML, Prien/Chiemsee
- proTime GmbH, Prien/Chiemsee
- University of applied sciences Rosenheim
- Volmer Informationstechnik
* 3G: GPS, GLONASS and Galileo satellite navigation
Background
Within the Initiative Satellite Navigation Berchtesgadener Land the use of Galileo was discussed with SatNav experts and end users, like the Mountain Rescue Service Berchtesgaden. In these discussions satellite navigation was identified to be particularly helpful in the area of safety and rescue.
»Galileo SAR Avalanche«
The research project »Galileo Search and Rescue (SAR) Avalanche« was initiated to develop one of the first applications in the area of Galileo. Innovative locating and positioning possibilities were put into practice. »Galileo SAR Avalanche« uses the future European satellite navigation system Galileo to precisely determine the distance, the direction and the depth of buried avalanche rescue beacons. The rescue teams already could be informed about the position of buried persons upon arrival at the scene of the accident.
Approach
The project approach is to consider the exact position and location of a receiver. This allows a three-dimensional model of the transmitted area to be determined. This in turn provides the exact position and location of the buried person. |
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Localisation - Challenge and Opportunity |
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Initial situation – when every minute counts…
The chance of survival of persons buried by an avalanche reduces with every minute. Only 15 minutes buried in an avalanche reduce the chance of survival rapidly. The rescues by common avalanche rescue beacons often are not successful because the localisation of these transceivers is complex and time-consuming. This emphasizes the need for innovations within the area of avalanche rescues.
Search by avalanche rescue beacons
Pinpoint search and targeting by conventional search methods like avalanche rescue beacons are time-consuming. These two phases can demand up to 60% of the searching time.
Localisation by »Galileo SAR Avalanche«
The exact position of the buried person will be determined within a few decimetres by localisation with »Galileo SAR Avalanche«. Therefore the fine search process is no longer necessary and the pinpoint search is reduced significantly. Thanks to this precision, the targeting can be reduced to a minimum. It accelerates the whole search process by up to 40%.
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Proceeding, Result and Perspective |
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Proceeding
IThe Galileo testbed Berchtesgaden (GATE) is a real testing environment for Galileo applications. It simulates the Galileo satellite signal by transmitting antennas on six mountain peaks. »Galileo SAR Avalanche« is developed under real conditions in additional to the laboratory tests. Thans to the collaboration with the mountain rescue service and the police the technical development is directly aimed at the needs of the rescuer.
Result
An innovative search device for avalanche victims is developed by the research project »Galileo SAR Avalanche«, including precise detection of position and location by 3G-SatNav. The first system tests under real conditions shoes promising results.
Perspective
Many persons doing winter sports do not carry avalanche rescue beacons, but a mobile phone. So the technology of »Galileo SAR Avalanche« is planned to be extended to locate mobile phones. Therefore the receiving antenna of the system and the measurement technology have to be adapted.
Besides the mobile phone localisation, the »Galileo SAR Avalanche« technology is also designed to be transferred to other signal sources (e.g. sonar localisation) and for other kinds of rescue scenarios in which exact relative positions are needed to search persons who have been buried, for example after earthquakes, building collapses or mudflows.
The »Galileo SAR Avalanche« system coordinates the rescuers equipped with transceivers and determines their movements.
The results of the exact position determination by 3G-SatNav or the localisation of an object, fitted with a high frequency transmitter, can be instrumental.
The results also may be used to search for missing persons.
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Further areas of application |
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Technical transfer of the SAR-Avalanche project to enhance the search of action forces...
- in burried buildings
- after an event of terror
- mudslides
- (roof-)collapses
- people droped in foreign terrain / missed people / hurt people (of action forces)
Transfer / Use of the Galileo-independent SatNav-systemtechnique of our project SAR-Avalanche
- as a part of helicopter-equipment
- as a part of special-forces-equipment
- bei der Positionsbestimmung von mit Funksendern ausgerüsteten Sicherheitskräften/ Person for locating members of action forces and other people equiped with radiotransmitters
- for securing special forces - even indoor!
- for localisation of offset special forces in foreign terrain
- after acts of terror, in areas of war and other catastrophies (evacuation)
- for locating special forces and people in certain indoor areas
- for surveilling motion and behaviour of suspects and criminals
- for location acoustic emitters
- for securing special forces and people (localisation ofknockingsounds)
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Technical features and components of the research project
The idea of an »Avalanche Rescue Navigator«, which was developed in the course of the research project »Galileo SAR Avalanche«, has been awarded within the Galileo Masters Competition. The initiators Wolfgang Inninger and Gerd Waizmann are the Bavarian winner of the international »European Satellite Navigation Competition« 2009.
