Multi-Robot Support System for Fighting Wildfires in Challenging Environments: System Design and Field Test Report

Bringing autonomous systems to the field is a challenging task, especially in the context of disaster response where requirements in terms of reliability, usability, and performance are very high. However, multiple scenarios would benefit from robotic assistance and partial automation, especially in the context of firefighting in challenging environments such as mountainous areas. We aim at advancing towards such practical deployments, by presenting a system architecture for a support system designed to help in those situations based on results from workshops performed with firefighters to specify a relevant use-case and requirements. Furthermore, we present an implementation and its testing during a realistic field experiment in mountainous terrain, where UAVs and UGVs work in cooperation to support first responders in addressing wildfires in challenging environments. Finally, we present the results of a usability survey conducted with the firefighters present during the experiment, showing the potential of such a system for supporting firefighting and gaining insights on factors such as reliability, controllability, and safety that are important for user acceptance.