USE OF MODERN TECHNOLOGY IN THE PROTECTION AND RESCUE OF THE POPULATION FROM unexploded ordnance (UXO)a

Abstract

This paper poses and analyzes the questions and opportunities for the use of modern technologies and means to make the work of the responsible institutions for dealing with unexploded ordnance (UXO) more efficient and effective and to protect and rescue the population from the danger caused by such ordnance. The continuous development of technique and technology enables its application in many areas, including solving the most complex practical working tasks and professional challenges. The subject of the paper is elaborated firstly through the analysis of the legal aspects and the importance of the protection and rescue of the citizens, as well as through the discussion of unexploded ordnance as a security threat, with particular reference to the population of the Republic of North Macedonia. The main part of the paper is discussing the application of technology in the protection and rescue, with a case analysis of the Virtual Evidence Capture Tool for Ordnance Recovery. The paper is based on a review of the current scientific and professional achievements in the field and presents and analyzes relevant statistical data related to the UXO in the Republic of North Macedonia. Special focus is placed on the possibility to use modern technology in evidence-gathering through photo-documentation using smartphones, tablets, and drones, in order to identify and determine the threat and consider the possibilities for disabling UXO. The knowledge from the analysis and the possibilities for their use have scientific and professional justification in the field of collecting data on the existence of UXO on the territory of the country and their analysis, training of staff who work or will work on activities related to UXO protection and continuous application of developed software solutions in detecting, identifying and disabling UXO. This paper, of course, has its limitations, because additional data and results from current projects in this area may not be available and thus not be included in the comparative analysis, and certainly that the galloping development of technology day by day results in new and more modern methods and techniques than those analyzed in this paper.