Development of a post-disaster response assistance system (podras) using drone/ Noelyn T. Bonza, Katalina Ravalo, Ahlleyczelle B. Simbulan, and Jimwell Sze.--

Bachelor's thesis

College of Industrial Technology.-- Bachelor of engineering technology major in electronic communications technology: Technological University of the Philippines, 2025.

Includes bibliographic references and index.

This study evaluates the Post-Disaster Response Assistance System
(PoDRAS), a drone-based search and rescue (SAR) system integrating GPS tracking,
thermal imaging, and real-time data transmission to enhance disaster response
efficiency. The system was tested in urban and open-field environments under different
lighting and signal conditions to assess autonomous functionality, imaging accuracy,
and communication reliability. Optical imaging maintained sharp contrast in daylight
but degraded (~600:1) at night, reducing visual clarity. Thermal imaging reliably
detected body heat across all distances, though heat blending increased beyond 9
meters, affecting signature accuracy. The drone maintained GPS tracking within 1.5–
2.6 meters under optimal conditions, but signal fluctuations occurred in obstructed
environments. Communication latency remained below 1 second in clear conditions
but increased to 2.5–5 seconds in areas with high interference. Flight duration ranged
from 3 to 10 minutes, depending on power consumption and navigation recalibration.
The evaluation results confirm strong system performance, with functionality,
reliability, efficiency, and maintainability rated as Highly Acceptable. The overall
mean score of 4.52 indicates a Very Acceptable rating, reflecting high user satisfaction.
Findings validate PoDRAS as a functional SAR tool, with limitations in low-light
optical imaging, GPS interference, and power efficiency. Future improvements include
zoom functionality for both cameras, battery optimization, and LiDAR integration for
enhanced navigation and obstacle detection.