VIDEAR provides comprehensive solutions that blend hardware and software for improved efficiency, safety, and decision-making in SAR and sustainability sectors. Key components include:
Kite-Cam UAV Apparatus: A tethered drone designed for stability in adverse maritime conditions, inspired by the "Kite" bird of prey with a 3m wingspan and tail for wind utilisation. Equipped with a 4K thermal camera, it detects warm objects up to two miles away in fog, night, or foul weather. The 100-meter umbilical tether supplies continuous power for extended endurance, while a cone-netting recovery system ensures safe retrieval on vessels like the RNLI's Atlantic 85, minimising risks near hazards such as cliffs.
Digital Twin Core: Built on Unity3D, this maintains constant awareness of UAV positions and environmental data, producing interactive 3D models superior to static point clouds. It supports features like biodiversity heatmaps, climate impact simulations, and "what-if" scenarios for rewilding, alongside real-time target tagging and data streaming. Automatic updates integrate new UAV data seamlessly, enabling precise monitoring of ecosystem shifts or SAR metrics like reduced time-to-locate.
Augmented Reality (AR) Heads-Up Displays (HUDs): AR overlays provide hands-free guidance, projecting navigational directions and alerts onto visors or tablets. In SAR, this delivers "Garmin-style" paths to casualties; in Re Wilding & Biodiversity and ECO contexts, AR field views overlay photographed models in the air (real world) for on-site inspections, citizen science contributions (e.g., photo uploads), and enhanced stakeholder engagement through immersive visualisations with natural soundscapes.
These features promote regulatory compliance, cost-effective automation, and actionable insights across verticals like port surveillance, pollution tracking, and infrastructure inspections. By reducing crew exposure in hazardous areas and offering eco-focused data visualisation, VIDEAR aligns with priorities such as RNLI's digital connectivity initiatives, delivering measurable benefits in operational speed and environmental protection.