CH711672A2 - Drone, a rescue system including the drone and related rescue methodology. - Google Patents

Abstract

A drone (UAV or RPA) is described. The drone is characterized in that it comprises search means of a person buried by an avalanche and means of marking an area at which to carry out the digging.

Description

Description Field of application [0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of drones and in particular to the technical field of drones used for rescue of people.

[0002] The invention also refers to a rescue system for people using a drone and a related rescue methodology.

Prior art [0003] The use of drones, also indicated with UAV or RPA (unmanned aerial vehicle or remotely piloted aircraft) for the rescue of persons, is known.

[0004] For example, drones are equipped with a geolocation system that receives geographical coordinates of a place to which to go independently and in correspondence of which take photographs or videos to be transmitted to a control station. Photographs or videos allow the control station to examine the situation before being physically on site and to better coordinate rescue teams.

[0005] Such rescue systems, consisting of the drone and the control center, are however inadequate in some particular situations, for example when the persons in danger cannot be taken photographically.

[0006] Avalanche accidents in which one or more people are buried in the snow fall into these scenarios. In the event of an avalanche, the drone can be sent or commanded on the spot, to verify the extent of the landslide and to acquire avalanche images but not to verify, for example, how many people were involved and where they were buried by the snow.

[0007] The absence of a precise point in which to carry out the digging forces rescuers to scour large snow-covered areas on foot, with a waste of time and energy that often prevents people from being buried.

[0008] The technical problem underlying the present invention is to devise a drone, a rescue system that uses the drone and a relative rescue method that is able to overcome the limitations highlighted above, acquiring valuable information on the accident also in the event that the persons involved are not visible or photographable.

Summary of the invention [0009] The basic idea of the present invention is to apply to a drone means of research of a person buried by an avalanche and means of marking an area at which to carry out the digging.

[0010] Advantageously, after the drone has marked the area or areas in which to intervene, rescuers can immediately head for them, remove the snow and try to dig up the person (s) involved in the avalanche, without wasting energy and time precious.

[0011] The search means comprise, for example, means for receiving a radio signal coming from a radio emitter buried by the avalanche. This form of realization of the invention is particularly effective when the people involved in the avalanche are equipped with radio emitters or radio transceivers, for example of ARVA (Appareil de Recherche de Victimes en Avalanche).

[0012] However, the search tools of the drone can include, alternatively or in addition, multiple or different search tools of buried people. By way of example only, the research tools can be a radar, an x-ray device, a sonar, a receiver of audible signals not audible by man (for example an ultrasonic sensor), an olfactory sensor (electronic nose) or a metal detector.

[0013] To facilitate any rescue operations, hikers may be provided with equipment that is easily identifiable by the drone's research facilities, thus allowing them to be identified more quickly if they are involved in an avalanche.

[0014] In particular, the holder of the present application has envisaged integrating a fine metal mesh in the fabric of a mountain garment, for example a metal mesh sewn between two layers of a fabric, this mesh being easily identifiable by a mounted metal detector on the drone.

[0015] In the case in which the drone is equipped, in addition or alternatively, with an olfactory sensor, the hiker can be provided with a vial containing an odorous substance, easily detectable by the olfactory sensor. The vial can be kept in a pocket and broken if necessary to release the odorous substance.

[0016] Advantageously, each of the search means indicated above has its own peculiarity and their integration and interaction can increase the effectiveness of the search, increasing the number of people you save. For example, X-rays are particularly effective for penetrating deep into the snow and, through the backscattering of the rays, it is possible to identify the presence of a human body under the snow. The flight of the drone can be controlled remotely by a rescuer or be programmed, also in consideration of the research means of which the drone is equipped. For example, for a drone equipped with olfactory sensors, it is planned to land the drone temporarily in correspondence with a position in which to carry out the survey, stopping the propellers of the drone to prevent the smell from being tracked being diverted with the movement of air .

[0017] Still according to the owner's solution idea, the rescue system comprising the drone can be equipped with an apparatus suitable to be worn by a hiker and to be launched into the air, with autonomous or manual propulsion, while remaining connected , for example through a thread, to the hiker's clothes.

[0018] The equipment can be equipped with a geographic coordinates detector and a geographic coordinates transmitter. In the event of an avalanche, the equipment can be expelled upwards, even for several tens of meters, thus remaining above the snow cover that constitutes the avalanche, even after the snow settles, and thus constituting a trace to follow for the finding of the buried person. The geographic coordinates transmitter can communicate to the rescuers or the drone the position in which to start the rescue activities.

[0019] According to another aspect of the invention, the drone comprises marking means, suitable for indicating the area where it is necessary to begin the digging up. The marking means comprise, for example, a light emitter which can be projected onto the snow surface from different angles, originating in the emitter. The light forms a cone at the point where to dig, clearly visible even at night. Preferably, light is a visible laser beam even during the day. Moreover, since the light is projected by the drone in flight, and therefore from above, at least a portion of the light beam can be followed from afar, even in the presence of obstacles that prevent a complete view from the ground of the end point of the light beam. The radius is also visible from a helicopter rescue in flight and at a distance.

[0020] According to other aspects of the invention, as an alternative or in addition to the aforementioned system, the signaling means comprise a varnish, adapted to be sprayed onto the snow surface and / or a powder and / or a relative powder fixative. Paint can be a spray paint. Dust can be dropped to the ground. Advantageously, a paint with a strong contrasting color with respect to the snow, for example fluorescent, can mark the position for a long time, even in the presence of adverse weather conditions, and frees the drone towards new routes, above other possible persons buried by the avalanche.

[0021] The means of marking or signaling can be activated immediately, that is to say in the moment in which the drone has identified the presence of a person to be saved under the snow, or on command, programmed or upon request. For example, it is envisaged that the drone can identify one or more people under the snow without reporting the corresponding points in which to begin to dig up, and that it will start signaling these points (for example with the light signal) only when a team arrives rescue. In this regard, the drone comprises a memory of multiple points of origin of the radio signals of multiple emitters and the marking means are operable to identify the area above points of origin previously identified.

[0022] The marking means can be programmed to signal the specific point (s) at programmed intervals, for example every 30 seconds, and / or for a predetermined duration. It is envisaged that the marking means be activated by a radio or remote control, operated manually.

[0023] According to one aspect of the invention, the drone comprises a receiver for flight commands from the radio or remote control and a transmitter for the intensity of a signal associated with the person buried towards said radio or remote control. The intensity of the signal is for example the intensity of the radio signal of the buried emitter or the intensity of the olfactory or sound signal, etc.

[0024] Advantageously, according to this aspect of the invention, the drone can be piloted by a rescuer or by a hiker on the spot, allowing the rescuer or the hiker to quickly sift the area without wasting energy, following the intensity of the signal transmitted by drone to the radio or remote control, and to invest all the energy as soon as the point of interest has been identified.

[0025] Alternatively or additionally, the drone includes a controller for making an autonomous flight to the buried emitter.

[0026] In the following other characteristics of the rescue system according to the present invention are given, taking into consideration a drone that intercepts signals of a radio emitter and which pours a colored paint on the snowy surface, in correspondence with an identified emitter.

[0027] However, nothing prevents the features described below from being used in a rescue system based on the reception of different signals, as already described above, such as sound signals, and which marks the area in correspondence with the emitter identified by a light beam or other means of marking.

[0028] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the technical problem is solved by a drone, comprising means for receiving radio signals, and a hardware or software controller adapted to direct the drone towards an emitter of one of the radio signals. The controller keeps the drone in stationary flight for a predetermined period at a predetermined altitude above the emitter. The means of marking the drone mark a position below which the emitter has been buried by snow, and are operated by the controller during stationary flight over the emitter.

[0029] According to one aspect of the present invention, and without however limiting its scope of protection, the emitters are avalanche search apparatus (ARVA) worn by mountain hikers, able to operate both in transmission mode and in mode reception, and the drone is programmed to receive on the ARVA transmission frequencies.

[0030] ARVAs are also signal receivers and can in turn be used to carry out search operations of other ARVAs. Advantageously, the means for marking the drone allow hikers not involved in the avalanche or other rescuers to immediately and precisely reach the point where a person is buried and can concentrate all their psychophysical energies to remove the snow in the marked position.

[0031] In particular, according to an embodiment of the invention, the dispenser marks an area of predetermined radius on the snow surface, having a center substantially positioned on a vertical with origin on the emitter.

[0032] This geometry of the marked area makes it possible to cover a large snow surface with paint (or other means of marking, as mentioned above), allowing the rescuer to determine the area to be reached even from a distance. Furthermore, once the area of interest is reached, the rescuer can determine the position at which to start digging as the center of the marked area.

[0033] According to a preferred variant, the marking means pours, in the center of the area marked with the paint, a differently colored paint, which allows the rescuer to position itself immediately on the vertical having origin on the emitter, where it is necessary to dig for recover the body of the buried person.

[0034] Alternatively or additionally, the drone comprises a lighting device and the controller operates the lighting device above the emitter, for the predetermined time period. Advantageously, the lighting devices are particularly useful at night.

[0035] The drone also includes a location system for geographical coordinates, for example a GPS, and the controller associates the radio signal of the emitter of the person buried with the respective position, after having marked the position of the emitter.

[0036] Advantageously, the association of the radio signal with the already marked position of an emitter, makes it possible to exclude the radio signal of this emitter from the subsequent searches of the drone. In other words, the drone can immediately proceed to the identification of the burial positions of other emitters, without considering the radio signal of the emitter already identified and marked.

[0037] According to an aspect of the present invention, the controller is connected to the radio signal reception means and further comprises a selector between the radio signals coming from emitters above the snow surface and the radio signals coming from emitters below the surface. The selector allows to exclude the radio signals of the emitters of people not involved by the avalanche, i.e. the signals above the snow surface.

[0038] After determining the radio signal of a buried emitter, the controller proceeds with the selection of the radio signal of another emitter to be identified (if present), said selection being effected between the radio signals of the emitters below the snow surface not yet associated with a respective position.

[0039] The holder of the application has also provided for a security system that reconsiders the signals of the emitters already associated with a position, when an additional avalanche occurs.

[0040] In particular, the drone is preferably equipped with an avalanche sensor and the controller removes the association between the radio signals and a respective previously associated position, following a new avalanche detected by the sensor. The avalanche sensor is, for example, a radar that detects sudden changes in the height of the snow cover or the distance or flight height of the drone from the ground or an optical sensor, capable of detecting a snow dust in the air that suddenly changes visibility.

[0041] Nothing prevents the information concerning the new avalanche from being transmitted to the drone from a command station or a rescuer on the spot instead of the avalanche sensor. Alternatively or in addition, a SODAR (SOnic Detection And Ranging) sensor is provided which associates the occurrence of an avalanche with atmospheric turbulence, detected by reflection of sound waves from the moving snow mass.

[0042] Preferably, the drone comprises means of communication with a control station or with a rescue aircraft, for example a helicopter, the communication means are responsible for transmitting to the control station the geographical coordinates of the emitter, once the position of the buried person has been determined. The media are also in charge of receiving the geographical coordinates of an avalanche area from the control station from which to head to identify one or more emitters (and people) buried by the avalanche.

[0043] According to an aspect of the present invention, the drone is portable. For example, the drone can be housed in a hiker's backpack or be mounted on the hiker's helmet. Preferably, the drone includes a propeller for take-off, applicable or applied to the backpack or helmet or to a hiker's mountain equipment.

[0044] Advantageously, the drone can be carried by hikers with their respective emitters and can be launched in flight when the hiker notices the avalanche. The drone can immediately follow the radio signal of the hiker (ARVA), follow the signal during the occurrence of the avalanche and mark the position in which the hiker is buried, as soon as the snow has settled or the body of the hiker is stable.

[0045] The aforementioned technical problem is also solved by an identification system of dispersed under an avalanche comprising the drone described above and an avalanche research apparatus, preferably a transceiver apparatus at a frequency of 457 kHz. This equipment is suitable to be worn by a hiker and to operate in radio signal emission mode.

[0046] Even more preferably, the apparatus used in the system of the present invention is an ARVA (Appareil de Recherche de Victimes eri Avalanche) or ARTVA (Research Equipment of the Swept into VAIanga). The ARVA is basically a signal transceiver that operates on the 457 kHz frequency. The equipment is worn by hikers in transmission mode. Normally, in the case in which a hiker remains overwhelmed by an avalanche, the other hikers switch their equipment to reception mode, to pick up the signal coming from the hiker's equipment, and identify his exact position. Advantageously, according to the present invention, the drone is in receiving mode.

[0047] In the following some features of the drone according to the present invention are briefly illustrated. The drone is also referred to as UAV or RPA and these nomenclatures are substantially identical and used as synonyms in the context of the present application.

[0048] Essentially, once in flight over the area affected by an avalanche, the UAV independently identifies a radio signal emitted by the ARVA of a person who is overturned, indicates the exact position in which the person is under the avalanche, example by identifying a precise point under which a hiker is buried, spraying a clearly visible spray on the snow or emitting a light at night, and immediately proceeds to identify the radio signals emitted by the ARVA of other people eventually run over by the avalanche.

[0049] According to one aspect of the rescue method, the UAV can be programmed to guide other rescuers on site, via radio frequency communication; therefore, the UAV may include a transmission module to communicate with rescuers.

[0050] According to another aspect, the UAV can receive GPS coordinates of the area affected by the avalanche from a control station and communicate the exact position in which the signal of the person overturned at the control station or to a person has been identified. on the site or in the immediate vicinity equipped with a reception device that indicates on a display the points identified by the drone. Communication can take place, for example, with a command ski resort.

[0051] The UAV is preferably equipped with a temporary exclusion system of the signals emitted at a predetermined distance from other emitters (ARVA) of people not involved in the avalanche, for example to interrupt the signals for 5 minutes. This exclusion serves to avoid interference between the signals emitted by the equipment buried by the avalanche and the signals emitted by the non-buried equipment, near the UAV flight area, without forcing those who have not been swept away by the avalanche to shut down their equipment, exposing him to risks, especially associated with the occurrence of another avalanche. Exclusions can be implemented by means of a selector and a controller in the drone, responsible for selecting only the radio signals coming from the subsoil (under snow).

[0052] Preferably, the exclusion system also excludes the signal emitted by the already identified equipment, since it is not necessary to consider these signals since the area to be saved has already been marked.

[0053] However, it is envisaged that the UAV sends a re-inclusion signal to the previously excluded signals and associated with buried and previously identified equipment. The re-inclusion signal is sent, for example, upon the occurrence of a second avalanche, which can vary the position in which to find the hikers involved or simply delete the previously applied markings (for example the spray paint). The re-inclusion signal can be implemented through the controller and selector mentioned above: when a new avalanche occurs the selector considers again all the radio signals coming from the subsoil (under the snow).

[0054] According to further features of the present invention, it is also provided that the drone is provided with means for detecting the heartbeats of the buried person. In the absence of heartbeat the drone does not mark the area, avoiding the rescue team to spend precious energy on the burial of the dead, and continues with the identification of any other buried.

[0055] According to one aspect of the invention the UAV is equipped with a propeller which is used to launch the UAV from a backpack on which it is applied, when a skier or other mountain goer realizes he is about to to be overwhelmed. In this case, the identification of the person is immediate because the UAV follows the signal above the avalanche even during the movement of the avalanche and stops only when the runner has reached a stable position.

[0056] According to different embodiments, the propeller can be incorporated in the backpack or in a mountain equipment and is equipped with a connection for the UAV The propeller comprises mechanical or electrical actuation means, for example a cord or a button.

[0057] The research method of the present invention is particularly advantageous because it does not depend on the abilities of the rescuer, such as his psychophysical condition, or on the quality of the snow and on the inclination and difficulty of the snowy course, since the identification of the position of the buried on the spot it is carried out by the drone.

[0058] The same method can be used in other areas, for example for the search for domestic or grazing animals or for children equipped with a radio emitter.

[0059] According to the method of the present invention, it is also provided that the equipment of the hikers are in turn provided with a localization system to communicate the position of the skier in the mountains at predetermined intervals, in order to make known to a control station the walk of the hiker, even before an eventual avalanche. These devices can be integrated into a mobile phone, equipped with respective applications to communicate with the earth station and / or with the UAV.

[0060] According to one aspect of the invention, the emitter, for example a 457KHz emitter, is incorporated in a cellular telephone or other mobile telephony device.

[0061] Further advantages and characteristics of the drone, of the system and of the rescue method according to the present invention will become apparent from an exemplary embodiment thereof, given with reference to the accompanying drawings, by way of non-limiting example only.

Brief description of the accompanying drawings [0062]

Fig. 1 is a schematic representation of a mountain and a mountain ski resort equipped with a rescue helicopter.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of an area of the mountain where an avalanche is about to occur.

Fig. 3 represents the area of fig. 2, after an avalanche occurred that buried a hiker.

Fig. 4 represents the drone in an operating phase in which the drone took off from one of the riders not involved in the avalanche, according to one of the aspects of the present invention.

Fig. 5 is a schematic representation of the drone of fig. 4.

Detailed description [0063] With reference to the attached figures, an example of a drone, a rescue system that uses the drone and a relative rescue method according to the present invention is given below.

[0064] In particular, the example given with reference to the figures refers to a rescue system for identifying persons involved in an avalanche but the system, the drone and the methodology according to the present invention can be used in other scenarios , substantially without changing the technical means necessary for its realization.

[0065] Moreover, in the example given below, reference is made to a drone which uses, as search means 2, a radio signal receiver, and which uses, as marking means 7, a paint dispenser. However, such means are given only by way of example and different research means (olfactory sensors, temperature sensors, X-ray sensors, etc.) or different means of marking (laser beams, powder with fixative, etc.) can be similarly employees.

[0066] With the above premises, in fig. 1 is schematically represented a mountain in which some hikers have ventured, corresponding to the area symbolically indicated with 100. At the foot of the mountain there is a station, for example a ski resort 20.

[0067] Fig. 2 represents the enlarged area 100, at which three hikers carry out their activity. In the example shown, each hiker is equipped with his own radio signal emitter 45.

[0068] The emitter is for example an ARVA that transmits and receives on the frequency of 457 Khz. However, within the protection of the invention, there are rescue systems in which the emitters transmit, at a different frequency or electronic devices, both to emit a radio signal (transmission) and to receive, on the same or different frequencies.

[0069] For example, according to one aspect of the invention, the emitters are incorporated in a mobile telephony device or smartphone or other portable device, and transmit at 457 kHz or at a different frequency. The intensity of the signal transmitted by each emitter 45 varies depending on a distance from the receiving device.

[0070] One of the hikers (fig. 2) is equipped with a drone 1 according to the present invention. In the given example, the drone 1 is carried on the backpack of the hiker but nothing prevents it from being carried in any other way, for example applied to a hiker's helmet.

[0071] In this regard, in the following description, an example of use is given in which the drone 1 is made to take off by one of the hikers, manually or by means of autonomous propulsion means of the drone 1, but nothing prevents the drone from being carried on site (that is, in correspondence with area 100) by means of a helicopter 50 or another aircraft which starts, for example, from the ski resort 20, or which can be controlled up to the spot (area 100) by means of remote control of the drone , operated from station 20, or autonomously reach the place (area 100) with autonomous flight, ie receiving an initial input with the geographical coordinates of the place (area 100).

[0072] In fig. 3 the walkers of fig. 2 after an avalanche occurred in area 100, which involved one of the hikers. In particular, the part to the right of the figure represents two hikers not involved in the avalanche and the left side, below and dotted, a hiker buried by the avalanche.

[0073] In fig. 4 is represented the drone 1 in an operational phase of research of the person buried, after being launched by a hiker not involved by the avalanche.

[0074] The drone 1 is equipped with an internal combustion or electric motor and is mechanically operated, for example by means of a lever or a manual cord associated with the backpack of the hiker, or electrically, by sending an electric command of power on.

[0075] It is envisaged that the same ignition command will release the drone from a coupling means, for example on the backpack of the hiker.

[0076] Advantageously, according to this aspect of the invention, a hiker has the possibility to operate his own drone 1 before being buried by the avalanche, and to be followed substantially during the development of the avalanche from his drone 1, since the radio signal of greater intensity is the signal emitted by the 45 emitter of the same hiker who launched the drone 1.

[0077] It is possible to carry out a preferential association between the drone 1 of a hiker and the emitter 45 of the same hiker, so that the drone 1 first searches for the radio signal of the hiker's emitter. There is also the possibility of privileging, in research, the buried with the greatest chance of being saved.

[0078] As schematically shown in fig. 5 the drone 1 incorporates a receiver 2 of the radio signal of the emitters 45, within a predetermined coverage, this signal being greater the closer the emitter 45 is. The maximum power of the signal is above the walker, perpendicular to it.

[0079] Preferably, according to one of the aspects of the invention, the drone 1 is programmed to remain at a predetermined distance from the snow surface, on a vertical with respect to the hiker buried, for a predetermined period of time, during which it delivers the paint (or other signal) that marks the area in which to carry out the digging. The drone can go autonomously towards the signal emitted by the 45 emitter of the hiker buried, in particular towards the signal emitted by the device 45 which has a greater power than the signal 45 of other hikers buried (not represented). In other words, the drone can be equipped with an autonomous flight program that follows a route along which the intensity of the radio signal increases.

[0080] According to a variant embodiment, the drone 1 is piloted by the hiker through a radio or remote control, preferably equipped with a signal (display) of the intensity of the radio signal received by the drone 1. The walker moves the drone 1 where the radio signal increases in intensity.

[0081] The above description is for example realized by means of radio reception 2 and a controller 3 (hardware or software controller). The controller 3 is adapted to direct the drone 1 towards the emitter 45 of one of the radio signals, in particular towards one of the signals emitted by the buried emitter 45; the controller 3 keeps the drone in stationary flight for a predetermined period, at a predetermined altitude above the emitter 45.

[0082] The marking means 7 marks a position below which the emitter 45 has been buried by the snow, and are operated by the controller 3 during the stationary flight over the emitter 45, to mark the area at which to remove the snow. The marking means 7 comprises a spray paint dispenser 11, and the controller 3 actuates the dispenser to spray the paint onto the snow surface above the emitter 45. Preferably, a predetermined radius area is marked on the snow surface. having a center substantially positioned on a vertical with origin on the emitter 45.

[0083] According to one aspect of the present invention, the drone is provided with means for detecting the state of life of the buried person, for example a heart rate or body temperature detector, and the controller avoids marking the area if the person is already dead. It is also planned to mount an infrared sensor or a heat sensor on the drone to search for human bodies, in particular of bodies only partially buried or buried by a thin state of snow or not at all buried but invisible due to reduced illumination.

[0084] The drone also includes a geographical location system, for example a GPS system 12. Advantageously, the location system allows associating a position with the emitter 45.

[0085] Where possible, the drone 1 is programmed to distinguish the radio signal emitted by an emitter 45 from the radio signal emitted by another emitter 45. This is possible, for example, in the case in which each emitter transmits its own identification code or associating a geographical position to each signal.

Claims (18)

[0086] The controller 3 associates the radio signal of the emitter 45 with the respective position, for example after having marked the position with the paint. This association is used to exclude the emitter signal already identified by subsequent searches. [0087] The controller 3 is connected to the reception means 2 of the radio signals and further comprises a selector 13 between the radio signals coming from emitters above the snow surface and the radio signals coming from emitters below the surface. [0088] In particular, a sonar or radar or lidar device allows to detect a height from the snow surface and to determine which emitters are above the surface. [0089] After having identified and marked the area from which to excavate according to the method indicated above, the drool proceeds with the search for other buried persons: the controller 3 selects the radio signal of another emitter 45 to be identified (if present) between the radio signals of the emitters under the snow surface not yet associated with a respective position. [0090] In the case of more signals coming from buried emitters, the drone proceeds in flight towards the signal with greater power, i.e. towards the nearest emitter, possibly abandoning the search if the life status of the associated excursionist is not detected and proceeding towards other signals. [0091] The drone is expected to reconsider all radio signals, even those associated with areas already marked, in the event of a new avalanche. [0092] In a preferred embodiment, the drone is equipped with communication means 14 with the station 20, such means being designed to transmit to the station 20 the geographical coordinates (GPS) of the position of the emitter 45. The drone can receive from station 20 the geographical coordinates of an area affected by avalanche from which to head to identify the coordinates of the position of one or more buried emitters. [0093] The emitter can also be equipped with GPS or another location system and can communicate with station 20. According to this aspect of the invention, the station can continuously monitor a hiker's journey and immediately determine where he is ended the journey, ie the place of the probable accident. The emitter can be incorporated into a smartphone equipped with a GPS system. [0094] The smartphone can be equipped with an application designed to communicate with the drone. The smartphone application can receive notifications or messages from the drone, to guide the smartphone user to those who need help, for example because buried by an avalanche, the communication between the application and the drone can be implemented, for example, via wifi connection, supported on-site by the drone. [0095] The application may also include means of controlling the drone. In one aspect of the invention, the smarphone application controls the drone launching phase from the hiker's backpack. It is also envisaged that the application will communicate with the control station, in the presence of a GPS, GPRS or UMTS network communication, for example by sending the geographical coordinates of the smartphone immediately after the launch of the drone or the geographical coordinates of the emitter identified by the drone. [0096] The drone is preferably equipped with rechargeable batteries and a solar panel for recharging. The solar panels and / or the drone are colored, for example with a fluorescent paint visible at night and of strong contrast on the snow. [0097] The drone is also equipped with a control system for a battery charge level. If the control system detects a charge level below a predetermined value, it can send landing commands. Landing controls are associated with a landing location; the position is preferably in correspondence with one of the buried emitters. Advantageously, according to this aspect of the invention, it is the body of the drone now discharged to be a marker of the position in which to carry out the digging. claims 1. Drone (1) characterized in that it comprises search means of a person buried by an avalanche and means of marking (7) of an area at which to carry out the digging. 2. Drone (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that said search means comprise means for receiving (2) a radio signal coming from a radio emitter (45) buried by the avalanche together with said person. 3. Drone (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that said marking means (7) comprise a light emitter and / or a paint emitter and / or a powder emitter and a relative dust fixer. 4. Drone (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that said light emitter can be oriented to illuminate the area in which to carry out the digging out from different angles. 5. Drone (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that it comprises a geographic coordinate memory associated with radio signals corresponding to multiple emitters (45) and in that the marking means (7) can be operated one or more times for marking the positions of the emitters (45) buried by the avalanche, said drive being with remote manual control or automatic and with a predetermined delay. 6. Drone (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that said search means detect an intensity of the received signal, and the drone comprises a transmitter of the received signal intensity towards a radio or remote control of the drone or to a ground control station (20) or installed on an aircraft (50), said radio or remote control being in charge of controlling the flight of the drone at a distance. 7. Drone (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that it comprises a controller adapted to direct the drone autonomously towards the emitter (45). 8. Drone (1) according to claim 7, characterized in that the controller (3) is adapted to direct the drone towards an emitter (45) of one of said radio signals and is programmed to keep the drone in stationary flight for a predetermined period at a predetermined height above the emitter (45), said marking means (7) are programmed to mark a position below which the emitter (45) was buried by the snow and can be operated by the controller (3) during stationary flight over the emitter (45). 9. Drone according to claim 8, characterized in that the marking means (7) comprise a dispenser (11) of a colored spray paint and the colored spray paint, and characterized in that the controller (3) operates the dispenser (11) to spray the paint onto a snow surface above the emitter (45). 10. Drone according to claim 9, characterized in that said dispenser (11) marks an area of predetermined radius on the snow surface, having a center substantially positioned on a vertical with origin on the emitter (45). 11. Drone according to claim 10, characterized in that the marking means (7) comprise a lighting device and the controller actuates the lighting device above the emitter (45) for the predetermined time period. 12. Drone according to claim 8, characterized in that it comprises a GPS localization system (12) and in that said controller (3) associates the radio signal of the emitter (45) with the respective position after having marked the position. 13. Drone according to claim 12, characterized in that the controller (3) is connected to the reception means (2) of the radio signals and further comprises a selector (13) between the radio signals coming from emitters above the snow surface and the radio signals from emitters below the surface. 14. Drone according to claim 13, characterized in that the controller (3) selects the radio signal of another emitter to be identified between the radio signals of the emitters under the snow surface not yet associated with a respective position. 15. Drone according to claim 14, characterized in that it comprises an avalanche sensor and in that the controller removes the association between the radio signals and a respective previously associated position, following an avalanche detected by the avalanche sensor. 16. Drone according to claim 8, characterized in that it comprises communication means (14) with a control station (20) or with a rescue aircraft (50), said communication means (14) being designed to transmit to the station of command (20) or to the rescue aircraft (50) the GPS coordinates of the emitter position (45) and / or to receive from the control station (20) the GPS coordinates of an avalanche affected area from which to head for identify the GSP coordinates of the position of one or more emitters (45) buried by the avalanche. 17. Drone according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a propulsion unit (16) for take-off, said propeller being applicable or applied to a backpack or to a hiker's mountain equipment. 18. Identification system for dispersed under an avalanche comprise the drone according to claims 1-17 and an avalanche research apparatus.