Israeli Tech Helps First Responders Cope with a Deadly Hurricane

As Category 5 Hurricane Michael pounded the Florida Panhandle, Israeli artificial intelligence software platform, Edgybees, lent its real-time augmented reality drone technology to local first responders leading the rescue efforts. Edgybees’ technology augments live drone video feeds with geo-information layers, including maps, building layouts, points of interest, user-generated markers, and further data layers. The video feeds provide visual context and operational intelligence to first responders to help them create situational awareness and to give them a multifaceted understanding of what is happening on the ground.

The platform was initially created to be an augmented reality game for drone owners to play, but, upon realizing the potentially life-saving uses for their technology, its developers shifted their focus from gaming to public safety

and defense. Edgybees technology has already been used to aid search and rescue in the wake of natural disasters in the United States, including Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Florence, as well as the 2018 California wildfires. In addition to drone feeds, Edgybees’ system also can incorporate video from surveillance cameras, car-mounted cameras, and even body cameras.