The 4x4 of the future ... a Land Rover that comes with a drone!
IF the Thunderbirds team were looking for an addition to their stable of rescue vehicles, this could be FAB.
The British 4x4 will soon be used to help save lives during disaster relief operations.
The specially developed Land Rover Discovery has an in-built drone that launches through the vehicle’s roof.
It will allow rescuers to drive close to the scene of major emergencies – ranging from avalanches and earthquakes to floods – sending back images to the rescue workers of unseen Motoring Editor in Geneva dangers ahead. Crucially, the drone can be launched while the vehicle is in motion thanks to ground-breaking docking technology. It can even deliver packages of medical supplies to stricken individuals who cannot be reached.
The vehicle has been developed by Jaguar Land Rover special vehicle operations division in conjunction with the International Red Cross and Red Crescent using the latest Discovery model and drone technology.
It is being unveiled today at the Geneva Motor Show before going into service with the Austrian Red Cross at its training centre in the mountainous Eisenerz region and in Vienna.
It has been codenamed ‘Project Hero’ after the dedication of the life- saving Red Cross teams who will use it. If trials are successful, it could be the first of a fleet in service around the world.
It is hoped similar vehicles could be created for clients beyond search and rescue and that the technology could even find its way into mainstream production cars.
The Red Cross has a 63-year association with the UK 4X4 manufacturer stretching back to 1954 and currently uses 120 of its vehicles covering 18 humanitarian and rescue projects in 24 countries.
The drone system has the world-first automatic take-off and ‘Autoland’ feature to make launching and retrieval back into the vehicle’s roof- top drone-dock much easier.
A spokesman for JLR’s special vehicle operations team added: ‘With the drone airborne, live footage can be transmitted to the Red Cross’s emergency response teams, helping them respond more quickly and effectively to landslides, earthquakes, floods and avalanches.’