Análisis y evaluación de las capacidades técnicas de aeronaves no tripuladas termográficas para la vigilancia

Abstract

This study focuses on evaluating the performance of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (drones) equipped with thermal imaging cameras and their positive impact on surveillance and security systems in urban, business and rural environments. Through a literature search, it was determined that multirotor drones are the most used for surveillance tasks due to their high-resolution thermal cameras and remote tracking capabilities, as well as their hovering capacity for detailed area inspection. This study included a flight test in the city of Duitama (Boyacá), which confirmed the advantages of these drones. It is concluded that thermal imaging drones play a fundamental role in search and rescue operations by facilitating the detection of people or animals in emergency situations, even in conditions of limited visibility, such as darkness or areas affected by natural disasters. Among its notable advantages are the speed and efficiency in obtaining data, which leads to a reduction in response times and the effective use of resources. In addition, the performance determined in the flight test is evaluated versus the advantages of the most relevant thermographic drones found in the bibliographic research, allowing us to analyze why they are versatile tools in various surveillance scenarios. However, limitations and challenges are also discussed, such as adverse weather conditions that can affect the flight of drones and the accuracy of thermal images, highlighting the importance of considering these aspects when implementing this technology in surveillance and security applications.