Unmanned Autonomous Vehicles (UAVs) are increasingly being recognized as transformative tools in emergency response and disaster relief operations due to their rapid deployment capabilities, versatility, and ability to access hazardous or remote areas. This chapter presents a comprehensive literature review exploring the evolving role of UAVs in enhancing disaster response efficiency, particularly in real-time situational awareness, resource delivery, and search and rescue missions. Special attention is given to the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) for autonomous pathfinding, obstacle detection, and collision avoidance—critical functionalities that improve operational reliability in dynamic and unpredictable environments. Through a synthesis of existing research and case studies, the chapter identifies key technological advancements while also examining current challenges such as regulatory limitations, coordination complexities, energy constraints, and data privacy concerns. The chapter concludes by highlighting the future potential of intelligent UAV systems as integral components of resilient emergency response frameworks and emphasizes the need for further interdisciplinary research to overcome prevailing limitations and drive scalable, ethical adoption in global disaster management efforts.