Artificial Intelligence Revolutionizes Disaster Response through AI-Powered Geolocation Technology.
A research and development company, X Development, which is part of Alphabet, is currently working on a prototype geolocation and georectification technology powered by artificial intelligence. This technology aims to enhance the National Guard’s awareness and analysis capabilities in response to natural disasters.
The prototype, named Bellwether, uses AI to analyze Civil Air Patrol aerial images it has received. It can identify critical infrastructure within these images, even when they show significant damage or changes to the landscape. This capability allows the National Guard to respond quickly in the aftermath of a natural disaster.
Master Sgt. Kenneth Houck of the Georgia Air National Guard highlighted Bellwether’s ability to drastically reduce the time spent analyzing CAP imagery from days to seconds. This speed improvement enables the Guard to respond faster than ever before during critical moments following a natural disaster.
DIU Senior Scientist and Program Manager for Remote Sensing Nirav Patel praised Bellwether’s effectiveness in interpreting aerial images taken from different perspectives. This feature helps streamline response times and support those impacted by disasters.
Bellwether was developed in response to a 2022 DIU solicitation on behalf of the National Guard, which sought AI-powered technologies capable of processing electro-optical aerial images.
