Drone Saves Two Teenagers in Australia in a Dramatic Rescue: Watch Video

The developing drone technology has proved life-saving for two swimmers in Australia. It is a first of its kind rescue undertaken by a drone. The two swimmers both aged 17 were body surfing in the Pacific Ocean at the Lennox Head beach in the New South Wales. They were caught in strong currents and waves which were 10-feet high. The Australian lifeguards who had been conducting a testing session on rescuing people from the sea got a real rescue. Mr. Jai Sheridan who was operating the drone steered the flotation devices towards the boys. The two boys hold on to it and were steered towards the shore.

Both the teenagers were successfully saved without any injuries. And the rescue took just 70 seconds! The guys were a little fatigued but did not get any hurt. The drone, known as the Little Ripper, is part of a new generation of search-and-rescue technology. It was made especially to protect the beaches and in its very first testing, it has proved effective. “I was able to launch it, fly it to the location, and drop the pod all in about one to two minutes. On a normal day that would have taken our lifeguards a few minutes longer to reach the members of the public,” said Jai Sheridan in the statement.

Take a look at the video of dramatic rescue

The newly-developed device is also a part of the shark-spotting program that will be carried out on the Australian beaches. It has an algorithm to recognize sharks. The government has made a heavy investment of A$430,000 (Rs. 3 crores) ) in a trial of drone technology in December. But in a country like Australia, which has a lot of population living by the coast, such investments are necessary. There have been many drowning cases in the past, so a technology like this is most vital to have. In a first of its dramatic rescue, the Little Ripper drone has proved to be beneficial.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 19, 2018 01:50 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).