Lessons from Robot-Assisted Disaster Response Deployments by the German
Rescue Robotics Center Task Force
Abstract
Earthquakes, fire, and floods often cause structural collapses
of buildings. The inspection of damaged buildings poses a high risk for
emergency forces or is even impossible, though. We present three recent
selected missions of the Robotics Task Force of the German Rescue
Robotics Center, where both ground and aerial robots were used to
explore destroyed buildings. We describe and reflect the missions as
well as the lessons learned that have resulted from them. In order to
make robots from research laboratories fit for real operations,
realistic test environments were set up for outdoor and indoor use and
tested in regular exercises by researchers and emergency forces. Based
on this experience, the robots and their control software were
significantly improved. Furthermore, top teams of researchers and first
responders were formed, each with realistic assessments of the
operational and practical suitability of robotic systems.
, 
