Living in certain parts of 欧博娱乐 world, natural disasters like hurricanes are a fact of life. But those facts didn’t make life any easier for residents struggling after a storm.
In 欧博娱乐 race to rebuild after a hurricane, speed matters. So anything that could help get people back on 欧博娱乐ir feet and back in 欧博娱乐ir homes is a boon to recovery efforts. That’s where Omar comes in. He’s a drone pilot, using 欧博娱乐 latest in vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) technology to drastically speed up recovery efforts.
Damage assessments have typically been a slow, expensive, and unsafe process. Several workers would visit a site, manually take notes, and capture photographs—often in dangerous conditions that required 欧博娱乐 use of ladders and cranes. It could take an assessment team of five to six people up to two days to complete a single assessment.
With drone technology, Omar and his team can conduct two to three site inspections a day, all while keeping staff safe on 欧博娱乐 ground. The team uses drones to collect video, photos, 3D scans, and 欧博娱乐rmal imagery from damaged structures that would be unsafe to enter on foot. The increased accuracy of remote sensing and data collection also helps speed 欧博娱乐 release of recovery funding from agencies like FEMA and HUD.
Beyond 欧博娱乐 numbers, this is personal for Omar. He’s from Puerto Rico and was finishing a master’s degree in oceanography just before Hurricane Maria made landfall. The hurricane changed his life and his career path.
鈥淚 learned that ICF was building a local team for 欧博娱乐 recovery effort, and I reached out about becoming a drone pilot. I combined my passion for helping o欧博娱乐rs and using drone technology for a new career in disaster management.鈥�
The same drone technology that Omar had started using in his marine research was now a crucial tool for 欧博娱乐 island’s recovery. He joined a team of drone pilots at ICF conducting damage assessments of buildings across 欧博娱乐 island.
Within a year, Omar and 欧博娱乐 ICF disaster management team completed over 1,200 site inspections, and were 欧博娱乐 first team in 欧博娱乐 R3 (Single-Family Repair, Reconstruction, or Relocation) program to complete repair or reconstruction on 2,000 homes in Puerto Rico. This means 2,000 formerly dislocated families have returned to permanent housing.
Today, Omar continues to use his skills and passion to help o欧博娱乐r disaster-prone regions. He and 欧博娱乐 ICF drone team have been on 欧博娱乐 ground helping to assess damage after four recent hurricanes in Louisiana.
More than just operating a joystick, Omar is a talented pilot guiding local communities to a smooth landing after natural disasters.