Autonomous Carbon-Fiber Reconaissance Drone for Search and Rescue Missions

This project supports the mission of Rowan's chapter of the Society of American Military Engineers (SAME) to advance engineering solutions that serve communities and the military. 

The members of SAME are developing a lightweight, carbon-fiber fixed-wing drone designed to autonomously perform reconnaissance in disaster or emergency zones. Equipped with high-resolution and thermal cameras, the system will locate stranded or injured individuals, map terrain, and relay live data to rescuers using onboard AI and long-range telemetry. The goal is to create a deployable, affordable, and scalable aerial search tool for first responders and emergency management teams.

SAME's drone will aid search-and-rescue (SAR) operations by providing real-time aerial imagery, thermal detection for locating victims, and autonomous mapping in environments too dangerous or inaccessible for ground teams. 

By supporting this project, you will help finance key hardware components, such as the airframe materials, flight controller, propulsion system, telemetry radios, and imaging payloads. Funds will also cover testing and field-deployment equipment planned for Winter 2025.