A few weeks ago, a little invention that will change the face of lifeguarding went into the testing phase. It’s an invention that just makes so much sense–it’s one of those things that makes you wonder how it’s not already in use. It’s a drone lifeguard.
The company behind the drones is called RTS, and according to the owner, Adam Rigi, they could decrease drownings by 60%. “In a competition, we found a lifeguard could perform a rescue in 90 seconds, but the drone took 20 seconds. That 70 seconds could be the difference between life and death,” he told The Daily Mail. “Finding people is hard with rescue teams. Moving in boats, you don’t get good vision. But the drones’ range and height can spot a drowning person, which is really helpful for ships. A rescue team could take 10 to 12 minutes where a drone could take one minute. Basically this increases the efficiency and decreases danger to lifeguards.”
The drones use cameras, lights, thermal visual technology, and are equipped with floatation devices, which they can drop on victims. The company is also developing a floating charging station where the drones could recharge using solar technology.
