Australian surf life-savers may soon add a small unmanned aircraft to their rescue equipment if a pilot project off the Queensland coast can demonstrate the new technology is efficient and effective.
Surf Life Saving Australia has signed an agreement with Brisbane firm, V-TOL Aerospace, to collaboratively test this new technology. Surf Life Saving Queensland will lead the trial that will take place in South East Queensland.
The project is the first of its kind in the world and uses a small 1 kg unmanned aircraft to assist surf lifesavers monitor beaches and undertake environmental surveys.
Australia has 11,000 beaches with 310 surf life saving clubs around the coastline, as well as lifeguard services, operation support units and emergency response teams. Despite this extensive network of services, coastal drowning deaths are still too high and most often occur at remote beaches or after patrolling hours.
Surf Life Saving Australia CEO Brett Williamson OAM said the movement is very interested in the trial. “The project will enable SLSA to determine both the operational effectiveness of unmanned aircraft in beach safety and environmental monitoring as well as ensuring operating the system in commercial airspace can be accomplished safely and effectively”, he said.
“Australian beaches receive an estimated 100 million visits annually with 80 percent of all Australians visiting the beach at some point every year. This joint venture project is all about saving lives.
“Drowning statistics do not reflect the tens of thousands of lives saved and the pain and trauma prevented for families and friends each and every year through the work undertaken by our surf lifesavers. Any tool that could potentially help us save more lives is definitely worth exploring,” Mr. Williamson said.
Managing Director, V-TOL Aerospace, Mark Xavier, agrees. “We would be delighted if our „Eye in the Sky‟ provided by unmanned aircraft systems, assists surf lifesavers in preventing coastal drowning deaths,” he said.
Although the technology will be used extensively for beach safety, its use in monitoring coastal environments and marine biodiversity will be explored with a new lightweight multi-spectral sensor that V-TOL Aerospace is integrating into its unmanned aircraft.
Source: Press Release