Justin Kendrick
Papers
1
Total Citations
27
H-Index
1
About
Justin Kendrick is a leading figure in the application of robotics and unmanned aerial systems (UAS) for disaster response and geohazard assessment. His work focuses on the critical intersection of field robotics, aerial sensing, and emergency management, demonstrating how small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS) can provide rapid, life-saving situational awareness in the aftermath of catastrophic events. Kendrick’s most notable contribution stems from his deployment of three distinct sUAS platforms—the AirRobot AR100B, Insitu Scan Eagle, and PrecisionHawk Lancaster—to the 2014 SR-530 mudslide near Oso, Washington. His seminal paper on this operation (27 citations) documents how these systems enabled geologists to map the debris field and assess structural hazards in real time, a task that would have been far slower and more dangerous using traditional ground-based methods. This work established a new protocol for integrating robotic assets into federal disaster response, directly influencing how agencies like the Center for Robot-Assisted Search and Rescue operate. By proving that sUAS can deliver actionable data within hours of a disaster, Kendrick has helped save lives and reshape the future of emergency geotechnical engineering.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1