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Syed Mohd Daud SM, Heo CC, Mohd Yusof MYP, Khoo LS, Chainchel Singh MK, Mahmood MS, Bin Muhammad Nasir MD, Nawawi H. Use of thermal drone in detection and assessment of larval mass temperature in decomposed rabbit carcasses. J Forensic Sci 2024; 69:542-553. [PMID: 38402526 DOI: 10.1111/1556-4029.15466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2023] [Revised: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/26/2024]
Abstract
Manual ground searches and cadaver dogs are traditional methods for locating remains, but they can be time- and resource-intensive, resulting in the decomposition of bodies and delay in victim identification. Therefore, thermal imaging has been proposed as a potentially useful tool for detecting remains based on their temperature. This study investigated the potential of a novel search technique of thermal drones to detect surface remains through the detection of maggot mass temperatures. Two trials were carried out at Selangor, Malaysia, each utilizing 12 healthy male Oryctolagus cuniculus European white rabbits and DJI Matrice 300 RTK drone China, equipped with a thermal camera; Zenmuse H20T to record the thermal imaging footage of the carcasses at various heights (15, 30, 60-100 m) for 14 days for each trial. Our results demonstrated that the larval masses and corresponding heat emissions were at their largest during the active decay stage; therefore, all the carcasses were observable in thermal images on day 5 and remained until day 7. Statistical analyses showed that (1) no statistically significant differences in thermal images between clothed and unclothed subjects (p > 0.05); (2) 15 m above ground level was proven to be the optimal height, as it showed the greatest contrast between the carcass heat signature and the background (p < 0.005). Our data suggested the potential window of detection of thermal signatures was detectable up to 7 days post-deposition. This could be an important guideline for the search and recovery teams for operational implementation in this tropical region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharifah Mastura Syed Mohd Daud
- Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Sungai Buloh, Malaysia
- Institute of Pathology, Laboratory and Forensic Medicine (I-PPerForM), Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Sungai Buloh, Malaysia
- Department of Diagnostics and Allied Health Sciences, Faculty of Health and Life Science, Management and Science University, Shah Alam, Malaysia
| | - Chong Chin Heo
- Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Sungai Buloh, Malaysia
- Institute of Pathology, Laboratory and Forensic Medicine (I-PPerForM), Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Sungai Buloh, Malaysia
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Shah Alam, Malaysia
| | - Mohd Yusmiaidil Putera Mohd Yusof
- Institute of Pathology, Laboratory and Forensic Medicine (I-PPerForM), Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Sungai Buloh, Malaysia
- Centre for Oral & Maxillofacial Diagnostics and Medicine Studies, Faculty of Dentistry, Universiti Teknologi MARA Selangor, Shah Alam, Malaysia
| | - Lay See Khoo
- National Institute of Forensic Medicine (IPFN), Hospital Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Mansharan Kaur Chainchel Singh
- Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Sungai Buloh, Malaysia
- Institute of Pathology, Laboratory and Forensic Medicine (I-PPerForM), Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Sungai Buloh, Malaysia
- National Institute of Forensic Medicine (IPFN), Hospital Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Mohd Shah Mahmood
- National Institute of Forensic Medicine (IPFN), Hospital Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | | | - Hapizah Nawawi
- Institute of Pathology, Laboratory and Forensic Medicine (I-PPerForM), Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Sungai Buloh, Malaysia
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