Land Rover just announced "Project Hero," its latest Discovery SUV with a custom-fitted drone and special technology to help in search and rescue operations.
The special Land Rover Discovery SUV aims to aid in special emergency response operations taking place in the aftermath of a disaster.
The Project Hero Land Rover Discovery SUV made its debut on Tuesday, March 7 at the Geneva Motor Show. According to the official announcement, the vehicle was made in collaboration with Austrian Red Cross emergency experts and it deepens a wider international collaboration between the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and the automaker.
Land Rover Discovery SUV With Roof-Mounted Drone
The SUV is equipped with a quadcopter drone that can take off from the roof of the vehicle and land back even if the car is in motion. When not in use, the drone is secured into place with magnets.
The drone is designed to assist in search and rescue operations, soaring above to deliver live streams to emergency response teams. This could be of great help to rescuers, allowing them to safely investigate emergency scenes and make assessments more quickly when it comes to the damage and the state of individuals who need assistance.
This means that rescuers get a bird's-eye view not only of potential victims in case of disasters and accidents but also of the changes in landscape compared to the maps. This could prove essential in cases of earthquakes, wildfires, avalanches, storms, and others such.
Project Hero: Fully-Equipped Mobile Command Unit
The 2017 Land Rover Discovery SUV dubbed Project Hero aims to serve as a "mobile command unit" equipped with everything necessary in an emergency situation. The vehicle has storage space for essential supplies in case of emergency, as well as a specially-designed interior ready to pull up a stretcher or accommodate other needs.
Austrian Red Cross emergency response teams will test the SUV and drone for a year in simultaneous test-runs and real-time responses to landslides, accidents, floods, avalanches, or other potential disasters in the Eisenerz mountainous region of Austria.
IFRC's Under Secretary for Partnerships, Jemilah Mahmood, highlights that combining the automaker's innovations with the IFRC expertise and ties with communities at risk could allow for quicker and better humanitarian action, thus saving more lives.
"The new Discovery is the world's most capable all-terrain SUV, and Project Hero is the optimum combination of enhanced capability and innovative technology," adds John Edwards, Managing Director of Special Operations at Jaguar Land Rover. "We hope to help the Red Cross save more lives in emergency situations."
Land Rover has a long-standing global partnership with the Red Cross and the two have been working together for more than six decades now. The new drone-fitted Discovery, however, is shaping up as the most advanced effort stemming from this long collaboration. The one-year trial will start in June of this year and the new Land Rover Discovery could prove to be a game-changer for search and rescue operations.
