SVVSD Innovation Center InvenTeam

System to alert first responders of people in distress in areas without cell reception
Consumer Devices

Longmont, Colorado
2017-2018

The St. Vrain Valley School District Innovation Center InvenTeam invented the Beacon Rescue Drone (BRD) system to aid first responders in finding missing or trapped persons during natural disasters. BRD is an independent alert system operating without cell towers. The system consists of three components: a beacon, a drone attachment, and a master station. The beacon is for the general public’s use with one beacon allotted to one household. It’s powered by a 9 V battery that will last 16 hours once activated. This part of the system costs $125. Once activated by the household in the event of a disaster, the beacon sends out short-range GPS coordinates every second with a radius of up to 2 miles that is picked up by the receiver-transmitter unit on the drone attachment. The drone attachment then transmits a signal, with a radius of 28 miles, to search and rescue crews located at the master station. The master station logs the coordinates in a text file for each beacon so less time is wasted searching for people and more lives can be saved.