An Integrated UGV-UAV System for Real-Time Disaster Management: A Multi-Protocol Communication Framework

In response to the increasing frequency and severity of natural disasters, the need for efficient and reliable disaster management systems has become more critical than ever. This paper presents the design and implementation of an integrated disaster management framework that leverages Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGVs) and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) for real-time environmental assessment and search operations. The proposed system employs a multi-protocol communication architecture to enhance data transmission reliability, utilizing the MQTT protocol for lightweight and efficient messaging and RTMP for live video streaming. Additionally, the system incorporates AI-driven face detection and recognition capabilities to improve personnel identification in disaster zones, achieving a mean Average Precision (mAP) of 45.63%. Experimental evaluations demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed system in maintaining low-latency communication and high-accuracy AI-based recognition, underscoring its potential to enhance disaster response efficiency and decision-making. This research contributes to the advancement of resilient and intelligent disaster management solutions, paving the way for future improvements in autonomous search and rescue operations.