Modern Disaster Management Systems are based on 3 columns, crisis preparedness, early warning and the final crisis management. In all parts, special data are needed in order to analyze existing structures, assist in the early warning system and in the updating after a disaster happens to assist the crises management organizations. How can new and innovative sensors assist in these tasks?

Aerial images have been frequently used in the past for generating spatial data, however in urban structures not all information can be extracted easily. Modern Oblique camera systems already assist in the evaluation of building structures to define rescue paths, analyze building structures and give also information of the stability of the urban fabric. For this application there is no need of a high geometric accurate sensor, also SLC Camera based Oblique Camera system as the OI X5, which uses Nikon Cameras, do a proper job. Such a camera also delivers worth full information after a Disaster happens to validate the degree of deformation in order to estimate stability and usability for the population.

Thermal data in combination with RGB give further information of the building structure, damages and potential water intrusion. Under development is an oblique thermal sensor with 9 heads which enables nadir and oblique thermal data acquisition. Beside the application for searching people, thermal anomalies can be created out of humidity in constructions (transpiration effects), damaged power lines, burning gas tubes and many other dangerous facts.

A big task is in the data analysis which should be made automatically and fast. This requires a good initial orientation and a proper relative adjustment of the single sensors. Like that, many modern software tools enable a rapid data extraction. Automated analysis of the data before and after a disaster can highlight areas of significant changes. Detecting anomalies are the way to get the focus on the prior area.

Also Lidar supports Disaster management by analyzing changes in the DSM before and after the “event”. Advantage of Lidar is that beside rain and clouds, no other weather conditions limit their use. As an active sensor, missions in the nighttime are possible.

The new mid-format cameras that make use CMOS sensors (e.g. Phase One IXU1000) can capture data also under poor and difficult light conditions and might will be the first choice for remotely sensed data acquisition in aircrafts and UAVs.

UAVs will surely be more and more part of the disaster management on the detailed level. Today equipped with video live cams using RGB and Thermal IR, they assist in looking inside buildings and behind. Thus, they can continue with the aerial survey where airborne anomalies have been detected.