The Auxdron Lifeguard Drone. Image Credit: GeneralDrones
On Wednesday a group of seven swimmers found themselves being carried off into the ocean about 70 m (230 ft) from the beach by a rip at Spain’s port of Sagunto. However, they did manage to alert lifeguards and fortunately an Auxdron Lifeguard Drone was on-hand and was quickly flown to their rescue.
According to Valencia Extra, Diego Torres remotely piloted the eight-rotor General Drones vehicle. Guided by a lifeguard via radio and assisted by the drone’s camera feed, he managed to reach the swimmers in danger and drop a life jacket which automatically inflated upon deployment. The woman in most immediate need of assistance managed to unfasten it from the vehicle, and save herself from drowning.
Once the immediate threat of drowning was overcome, lifeguards raced to retrieve the woman via Jet Ski and got the stranded woman back to solid ground. Meanwhile the Auxdron kept an eye on the remaining swimmers from above, throughout, recording their location and monitoring them until they too were brought to safety. Fortunately, everyone involved is safe and sound.
Designed and developed by the Spanish start-up General Drones, the Auxdron consists of eight props/motors located on the ends of four arms, along with a waterproof carbon-fiber body and a maximum flight time of 34 minutes – which reduces to 26 minutes when it’s carrying a payload of two inflatable life jackets. The Auxdron has a top speed of 90 Km/h and an operation range of 3 km.
The Auxdron Lifeguard Drone. Image Credit: GeneralDrones
General Drones, a Spanish startup in the business of aerial photogrammetry, topography, inspection and emergency services, now joins the ranks of Hydronalix’s EMILY drone and PowerVision’s PowerDolphin in providing effective solutions for ocean-based emergencies and the first responders in charge of handling them.