Our Story

At 2D DUMMIES™, our journey began with a commitment to revolutionize unmanned aerial systems (UAS) search and rescue training. Founded by Roger Hall, a retired firefighter with 25 years of service with the Nashua, NH, Fire Rescue, our story is one of innovation, dedication, and a relentless pursuit of excellence.

Roger made a significant career move from the fire service to the emerging field of UAS a few years after retiring. This transition coincided with the FAA’s approval of commercial UAS operations, which he capitalized on by joining DARTdrones. Roger became one of the country’s first public safety UAS instructors due to his exceptional combination of firefighting experience and being a FAA-certified pilot. He is now a leading figure in public safety UAS training.

During those early training classes with police and fire UAS pilots, Roger observed that the search targets utilized in training were not adequately preparing trainees for real-life drone search and rescue missions. The prevailing method employed basic representations, such as a shirt and pants, which needed more realism. Roger acknowledged the limitations of this approach and believed that trainees required a more practical and realistic training tool to equip them for real-world scenarios.

Motivated by this challenge, Roger embarked on a mission to craft the ultimate UAS team training tool. His objective was to pioneer an innovation capable of simulating real-world scenarios for UAS teams. Roger set out to conceive a manikin that, when observed from an aerial viewpoint, would be virtually indistinguishable from an actual person. His efforts culminated in the creation of the 2D DUMMY, a groundbreaking product that completely revolutionized the landscape of UAS search and rescue training.

When the idea was shared with colleagues and peers in the field, they all had the same reaction: “Wow, what a fantastic idea!” Even the students could feel the change. The training sessions became more interesting and thrilling, and the drone pilots quickly developed the crucial skill of recognizing patterns through these engaging sessions.

Roger’s quest for perfection didn’t end with his initial success. His determination drove him to achieve something extraordinary. After years of dedicated experimentation, he successfully created a 2D DUMMY with a high emissivity film on its back. This groundbreaking film had the unique ability to mimic the heat signature of a human body without relying on any external power source. As a result, students were no longer required to act as missing persons for thermal infrared sensor training. This development allowed them to attend their classes without any interruptions, and Roger’s invention revolutionized the educational community by transforming the way training was conducted.

The milestones in the journey of 2D DUMMIES are numerous—from the conceptualization of the 2D DUMMY to its widespread adoption in nationwide training programs. Today, 2D DUMMIES is an essential tool for first responders and public safety organizations, empowering them to save lives more effectively.

As the CEO of 2D DUMMIES, Roger Hall’s passion and dedication drive our mission to provide high-quality training tools. His belief in the potential of UAS technology to make a difference fuels our commitment to innovation and excellence. We are proud to have created a product that has become a game-changer in the UAS search and rescue training field.

Join us on our mission to empower first responders and public safety UAS teams with the tools needed to excel in rescue training.

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2D DUMMIES – Rescue Training Made Real!