A Prioritization Analysis for UAVs in Disaster Response

Authors : Melike Erdoğan, Ayşegül Koşak

Pages : 1-16

View : 111 | Download : 75

Publication Date : 2025-07-31

Article Type : Conference Paper

Abstract :Many natural disasters happen in the world every year. Disasters make it difficult for people to reach their basic needs and can cause unpredictable loss of life. For this reason, emergency response and resource management are of critical importance in case of disaster. Since there is serious damage to the transportation infrastructure after the disaster, the roads, bridges and railway lines become unusable, making it difficult for the teams and relief materials to reach the disaster area by traditional methods, creating danger and increasing the loss of life. In cases where transportation is not possible, the fact that unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) increase accessibility to the disaster area creates a serious advantage in disaster times. UAVs reduce the possible environmental effects causing delays in the event of a disaster compared to transportation by traditional methods, can take part in dangerous conditions, can provide medicines and food supply, and can provide fast and safe transportation of needs to disaster victims. In this study, UAVs that can provide the medicine and food needed after a disaster are prioritized by using a multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) approach with six main criteria and twenty-one sub-criteria determined. Seven UAV alternatives have been analyzed to use in disaster times primarily. Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) method has been adopted to weigh the criteria and Average Distance to Solution (EDAS) method has been used for the evaluation and prioritization of alternatives. This study is the first to use the EDAS method for the supply of medicine and food in disaster situations. In order to compare the results of the study, Complex Proportional Assessment (COPRAS) and Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solutions (TOPSIS) multi-criteria decision-making methods have been also utilized. Sensitivity analyses have been performed to determine the effect of criteria weights on the ranking of alternatives. The reliability and robustness of the results have been investigated through comparison and sensitivity analyses.
Keywords : Afet Müdahalesi, İnsani Lojistik, Çok Kriterli Karar Verme, İnsansız Hava Araçları

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