<p>The interest in robots in the urban search and rescue (USAR) field has increased the last two decades. The idea is to let robots move into places where human rescue workers cannot or, due to high personal risks, should not enter.In this thesis project, an application is constructed with the purpose of teleoperating a simple robot. This application contains a user interface that utilizes both autonomous and semi-autonomous functions, such as search, explore and point-and-go behaviours. The purpose of the application is to work with USAR principles in a refined and simplified environment, and thereby increase the understanding for these principles and how they interact with each other. Furthermore, the thesis project reviews the recent and the current status of robots in USAR applications and use of teleoperation and semi-autonomous robots in general. Some conclusions that are drawn towards the end of the thesis are that the use of robots, especially in USAR situations, will continue to increase. As robots and support technology both become more advanced and cheaper by the day, teleoperation and semi-autonomous robots will also be seen in more and more places.</p><p> </p>

There can be little doubt that Hurricane Katrina will always be remembered for the damage and devastation it caused. But it also provided the first opportunity for MAVs to be used and evaluated during Search and Rescue (SAR) as well as recovery operations. Researchers from The Center for Robot-Assisted Search And Rescue (CRASAR) made two separate deployments to areas affected by Hurricane Katrina: one during initial SAR operations and a second deployment during recovery operations 90 days later. Using data and observations from both of these deployments, this work draws four key findings about semi-autonomous Miniature UAV (MAV) operations in urban environments. These findings are intended to guide future MAV research as well as serve as a roadmap for the evolution from semi-autonomous to fully autonomous MAV capabilities. These findings are as follows: the minimum useful standoff distance from inspected structures is 2-5 m, omni-directional sensor capabilities are needed for obstacle avoidance, GPS waypoint navigation is unnecessary, and that these operations currently require three operators for one MAV.

The interest in robots in the urban search and rescue (USAR) field has increased the last two decades. The idea is to let robots move into places where human rescue workers cannot or, due to high personal risks, should not enter.In this thesis project, an application is constructed with the purpose of teleoperating a simple robot. This application contains a user interface that utilizes both autonomous and semi-autonomous functions, such as search, explore and point-and-go behaviours. The purpose of the application is to work with USAR principles in a refined and simplified environment, and thereby increase the understanding for these principles and how they interact with each other. Furthermore, the thesis project reviews the recent and the current status of robots in USAR applications and use of teleoperation and semi-autonomous robots in general. Some conclusions that are drawn towards the end of the thesis are that the use of robots, especially in USAR situations, will continue to increase. As robots and support technology both become more advanced and cheaper by the day, teleoperation and semi-autonomous robots will also be seen in more and more places.