Development of a Low-Cost Arduino-Driven Drone for Rapid Search and Rescue in Philippine Terrain

Search and rescue (SAR) operations in the Philippines are often hampered by challenging terrains and the high costs associated with advanced technology. To address these issues, this study developed, tested, and validated a low-cost Arduino-driven drone optimized for SAR missions. The drone integrates an Arduino Mega 2560 microcontroller with an ArduPilot flight controller, GPS module, infrared sensors, ultrasonic sensors, and a thermal camera, alongside communication modules using Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) and GSM/GPS. The design aimed to create a reliable, efficient tool capable of navigating complex environments, detecting human presence, avoiding obstacles, and maintaining stable communication with ground control. Extensive field testing demonstrated the drone's navigation stability, human detection accuracy of 95%, and obstacle avoidance success rate of 98%. Iterative debugging and optimization further enhanced performance, extending flight time to 30 minutes and improving sensor accuracy and communication reliability. Final validation confirmed the drone's readiness for real-world deployment, proving it to be a cost-effective solution for SAR operations in disaster-prone regions. This research highlights the potential of using affordable, readily available components to significantly improve SAR efficiency and effectiveness in the Philippines.