In future, edible drones could be used to reach inaccessible locations.
Now a Danish research team wants to equip large sea vessels with fully autonomous drones. If someone falls overboard, the drone is immediately dispatched complete with an inflatable life jacket that sends a GPS signal.
This improves the person’s survival chances and enables lifeboats to locate them quickly. Each drone is equipped with an infrared-, colour- and thermal camera, making rescue possible even after dark.
Flying time is 30 minutes, covering a 1㎢ area. An algorithm identifies the most likely search areas, based on the time and place of the fall plus the ship’s speed, and data on wind and current strength.
A remotely-operated buoy also has lifesaving potential.
