Drones join search for bodies among rubble in La Guaira after twin quakes
Venezuelan technology expert Taylor Villarreal has developed a drone-based system to help locate bodies and human remains beneath the rubble in La Guaira following the devastating June 24 earthquakes.
Villarreal initially used mobile phone data to try to locate missing people, but as the scale of the disaster became clear, he expanded the system to incorporate drones, artificial intelligence and geolocation technology.
"It was an idea I initially had through localisation and telephony, and then I integrated it with a neural network," he said.
The system uses multiple drones equipped with different technologies, including thermal cameras that detect changes in temperature and humidity and tools designed to analyse conditions beneath the surface. The drones work together to identify and mark possible locations under collapsed buildings.
Villarreal said the technology was also adapted as bodies decomposed, with the system trained to identify indicators including bones, tissue, hair and nail residue.
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According to Villarreal, his team has made more than 1,900 markings across affected buildings and may have helped locate hundreds of bodies, potentially approaching 2,000 by his own estimate.
Once a possible location is identified, volunteers and professional rescuers remove the rubble to verify the finding. "We have recovered family members and that has become a hope for many," Villarreal said, adding that the work is carried out voluntarily and families are not charged.
The team conducts much of its work at night, when reduced noise and interference are said to make some detection efforts easier.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
