The State Emergency Service of Ukraine has undergone a radical transformation in its approaches to rescuing people and technical equipment since the start of the full-scale invasion. The service has moved away from outdated technology, completely renewing its technical fleet with modern vehicles and the most advanced equipment in the world. Today, one of the most promising and actively developed areas is the use of unmanned and robotic systems. These technologies are primarily intended to facilitate the work of rescuers and protect their health and lives, especially given the enemy’s tactic of repeatedly striking the same targets.
Radical changes in approaches to work
Until 2022, the State Emergency Service only had old-style conventional drones, which were used sporadically for reconnaissance during fires in ecosystems. With the start of full-scale war, priorities changed. The service began to actively develop its engineering capabilities, pre-medical training for rescuers and, of course, unmanned systems. Igor Getalo, head of the unmanned systems department, emphasises
‘With the arrival of a full-scale invasion of our country, our service has changed radically over the past few years. Starting with the basic training of rescuers and ending with the technical equipment that is now in the calculations of our service.’
As a result, approaches to emergency response have been completely revamped. According to Getalo, the main goal of this technological direction is ‘first and foremost, to facilitate the work of rescuers and, secondly, if necessary, to preserve the health or even the lives of our rescuers.’
Firefighting: robotic systems and aerial reconnaissance
The use of robotic systems in firefighting is critical to personnel safety. It allows the operator to control the process while working ‘from cover, at a safe distance, without having to approach the fire directly.’ Robots are used to ensure a constant supply of fire extinguishing agents, including water, foam and powder extinguishers, directly to the source of the fire.
Robotic complexes are used to eliminate the consequences of incidents at oil and gas facilities where there is a risk of tank explosions, as well as at large industrial facilities such as warehouses. Igor Getalo explains the need for such technology: ‘At such facilities, there is a constant risk of building structures collapsing and it is very risky to send people there directly.’
Unmanned aerial vehicles perform the function of an air component, which is vital for firefighting managers. They allow you to assess the scale of the incident from above and see the most intense burning areas. Today, every State Emergency Service garrison has firefighting robots and UAVs at its disposal.
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The role of drones in searching for people and monitoring
UAVs are an effective tool for searching for people in forest areas and ecosystems. Over the course of a year, thanks to drones, the State Emergency Service managed to rescue 12 people, including children. Rescuers use non-standard approaches. In particular, there was a case when they were looking for a lost child with autism: ‘We attached a loudspeaker to the drone and searched for the child using the loudspeaker to play his favourite song. And it worked.’
In addition to rescue operations, drones are used for monitoring during fire-hazardous periods. This allows fires in ecosystems to be detected at an early stage. Thanks to UAV monitoring, about 400 offenders were identified – people burning dry grass – who were brought to justice.
Ground-based robotic systems are actively helping to eliminate the consequences of rocket strikes. A robot tow truck is used to clear passages for special transport, removing destroyed cars and building structures.
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Domestic production as a strategic priority
Currently, the State Emergency Service mainly uses foreign systems. European partners provide their equipment for testing in Ukraine in order to receive feedback and improve their product. At the same time, the State Emergency Service is very interested in cooperating with domestic manufacturers. Ihor Hetalo recalls that at the beginning of the full-scale war, the philosophy of many Ukrainian manufacturers was: ‘Damn, guys, the robot has to go and explode, that’s all.’ This stereotype was difficult to change, but now more and more offers are coming in.
The key advantages of Ukrainian developments are price and maintainability. Getalo compares the cost: ‘For the price of one foreign system, you can buy, I don’t know, 5-7-8 of our systems.’ Also, in conditions of aggressive use, domestic systems are easier to repair, since ‘everything is much simpler with our manufacturer,’ while the recovery time for foreign systems is significantly longer.
The future of rescue: a tool, not a replacement
The management of the unmanned systems department emphasises that robotic complexes will not be able to completely replace rescuers. Ihor Getalo strongly rejects this prospect: ‘No robot can replace a rescuer.’ Technology is just ‘a very cool tool in the hands of a rescuer that can simply make their job easier.’
Even decades from now, basic household fires in apartments or clearing debris will require direct human involvement. Getalo, who has spent most of his career ‘working in response,’ notes that ‘no robotic complex, no drone, as of now, can replace the hands and courage of rescuers.’ In the future, rescuers will work alongside robots, independently deciding whether to perform tasks themselves or to use a robotic system.
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