Lifesaving Land Rover

A unique lifesaving Land Rover Discovery has just entered active service with the Red Cross emergency response fleet.

The bespoke Discovery will provide eyes in the sky with a special drone and go-anywhere wheels on the ground, as an emergency mobile command centre with the Austrian Red Cross disaster response teams.

The vehicle, developed from the original Project Hero concept car, is the result of an 18-month collaboration between Land Rover Special Vehicle Operations and the Austrian Red Cross.

The specially designed and engineered Discovery has the latest communications equipment, including an advanced eight-rotor drone.

A long-range thermal imaging camera fitted to the drone is capable of spotting a person from 440m and can identify a vehicle at almost 1 000m.

The operator can also track objects found using the drone simply by tapping the item on the slide-out main computer touchscreens video feed and obtain precise co-ordinates – crucial when directing rescue efforts.

The Discovery will operate as a mobile nerve centre for disaster emergencies from which Red Cross experts can direct rescue operations.

Features include four radio antennae, 360-degree lighting and a unique integrated carbon fibre loadspace Command Centre, enabling Red Cross operatives to co-ordinate emergency responses as soon as they reach the scene of an emergency, day or night.

Based on a 258PS 3.0-litre TD6 Land Rover Discovery, it allows emergency crews to reach remote disaster zones quickly in all conditions.

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