Drone tech to save lives

Adithya Ramaswami ’23 and Jack Murray ’23 want to provide firefighters and first responders with a critical commodity: Time.

Jack and Adithya — aerospace engineering graduates — are developing drones that will help first responders quickly and thoroughly assess emergency situations to more efficiently save lives. Through working directly with central Ohio’s professionals, they’re creating drone technology and software specifically crafted for the needs of firefighters, law enforcement, emergency medical personnel, even homeland security and FBI operatives.

Their student startup, ParaWave, was developed through Ohio State’s first cohort of the President’s Buckeye Accelerator. This past summer, Jack and Adithya launched their first product, the Shepherd aircraft, based on numerous conversations with Columbus and Ohio first response teams.

“Drones have made our jobs much easier and much safer,” says Detective Lieutenant Justin Alloway of the Westerville Police Division, who has worked with ParaWave since early in the team’s development. “ParaWave listens to us, they are truly looking to have a product that suits what we need to do on a daily basis. And their drone is going to be a huge contender in the drone space for law enforcement and firefighting operations.” 

Jack and Adithya recently spoke to us about ParaWave’s vision and Ohio State’s role in crafting it.

Q: What exactly do drones offer first responders?

Adithya: They provide first responders the ability to assess a situation for an exact, holistic view as it’s evolving. For example, in a hard-to-reach area like a collapsed building, a wildfire, a flash flood — drones identify critical elements to help keep first response teams safer, and they provide another way to help locate individuals and hazards quickly.

With thermal capabilities as well, drones can locate hotspots within a housefire, individuals in a building, or even a missing person out in the woods at night. It’s invaluable information. So in any emergency, a bird’s-eye view helps first responders triage resources in time-sensitive situations.

Q: Tell us about the ParaWave Shepherd drone and what’s next for your team.

Adithya: The ParaWave Shepherd aircraft we released this summer has a 22–28-minute flight time. It’s able to be quickly deployed and has a high-precision camera to give first responders a very accurate and detailed overview of what’s happening. In development, Jack and I centered our technology around the needs and invaluable feedback of first responders, which also informs ParaWave’s current and upcoming developments.

Jack: We are also building autonomous software solutions that will allow first responders to deploy and operate drones with minimal set up and training. In working with first responders, we’ve repeatedly heard about the importance of deploying a drone at just the press of a button. That’s a lot of where ParaWave's software lies: making flight easy and rapid-assembly as possible. We are excited to release it soon.

Q: Have you worked with any departments to understand their challenges?

Adithya: Absolutely. Westerville Fire and Police Divisions have been beyond incredible and have been a meaningful part throughout our journey since our start. We have also connected with other departments as well, including Columbus Fire and Police Divisions, OSU Police, Delaware County Sheriff’s Office and City Police, Franklin County Emergency Management and Homeland Security, Washington County Fire, and Springfield Fire, just to name a few.

We would not be where we are today without the support and feedback from so many first responders. Hearing about the challenges they face and the work they do has been eye-opening and inspiring. We are so grateful for their time, and the belief they have in the work ParaWave is doing. We hope to make a positive difference in our community.

Jack: We’re still in the early days of drones in emergency response. Our conversations with first responders are incredibly inspiring for both myself and Adithya as we tailor our products around their biggest needs. We are excited for the impact of ParaWave’s hardware and software technology, especially as the field continues to grow.

Q: How important was it to be involved in the President’s Buckeye Accelerator program?

Adithya: It was an honor and privilege to be a part of the inaugural President’s Buckeye Accelerator cohort. The support, mentorship, and encouragement we received was invaluable in building the early stages of ParaWave, especially when we were student entrepreneurs. The community and passion are energizing, and we are beyond grateful to Ohio State. As you go through the program, you learn a lot and grow.

It is pretty amazing that Ohio State has created incredible spaces and opportunities where students can take their passions and transform them into something tangible while simultaneously completing their degrees. We are proud to be Buckeyes, and grateful to many individuals that have been so impactful in our journey.

Q: These drones have the potential to save lives. What does that mean to you?

Jack: We have a ton of passion for this technology. Putting it toward serving first responders and saving lives is very meaningful for us. To know that our products and efforts can build safer communities across the nation drives our passion forward to make a positive difference. That’s what it’s all about for ParaWave: drones saving lives.