National Guard Enhances Disaster Response With AI-powered Image Analysis

The National Guard Bureau is partnering with the Defense Innovation Unit to leverage X Development’s artificial intelligence-powered technology, Bellwether, for faster and more efficient response to natural disasters. 

Bellwether seeks to streamline the analysis of aerial imagery captured by the Civil Air Patrol during emergencies, which could take days through traditional methods, the DIU said.

With Bellwether, crucial tasks such as identifying critical infrastructure and pinpointing damage within the images are automated. It can process entire batches of images in minutes, saving hundreds of human hours per disaster, and analyze images even in situations with heavy damage or drastically altered landscapes during flooding.

Bellwether also operates 24/7, eliminating the need for manual analysis, and freeing up National Guard personnel for crucial relief efforts.

Dr. Nirav Patel, the DIU’s senior scientist and program manager for remote sensing, said that Bellwether’s technology allows responders to analyze aerial imagery from various angles, which can significantly reduce the time it takes to respond to emergencies in local communities.

Master Sgt. Kenneth Houck of the Georgia Air National Guard highlighted Bellwether’s speed and efficiency. He noted that in the past, analyzing images from a single CAP flight could take 12 hours. Bellwether reduces it to seconds, enabling the National Guard to react swiftly in the aftermath of a disaster.