New Zealand is on the news a lot these days when it comes to drones. From near collisions with aircrafts, to more improved drone regulations. It seems that the country is in the frontlines of drone evolution. Needless to say, with this growing interest in drones, we now see them used in other jobs.
A drone job idea proposed is for these UAVs to help in aquatic rescue.
A popular hobby in New Zealand is fishing from the rocks. Like the name suggests, it involves fishing at a rocky spot, usually near a cliff or shoreline. And yes, it is as dangerous as it sounds. It is one of NZ’s deadliest recreational sports. A lot of things can go wrong while fishing at a dangerous spot. And most times, everything goes wrong.
Fishermen can easily fall into the maw of the deep blue. They can easily lose into the sea by a wild current. Often times the strong and wild currents make it impossible for even experienced fishermen to get back to safety.
Infrared Rescue:
That’s where the drones come in. In order for rescuers to get a more accurate read on the area, drones fly in with their infrared cameras. This makes the people easier to spot among the ravaging waves of the water. The rescue missions usually involve two phases. First phase involves actually spotting the missing fisherman. That’s where the drone gets its full use. The second phase needs to be just as quick: the actual rescue. The drone can help in this stage with keeping a close eye on the person’s location. This ensures that the rescue teams in pursuit would not waste time searching the wrong area. It’s all about the game of time, and the drones can help cut vital seconds off the search process.
The drone’s infrared camera can spot a person faster than any human eye can. The drone can also hover over the air several hundreds of feet from the ground. This creates an excellent vantage point which only a helicopter can match. A chopper however needs a long time to deploy, as well as being incredibly expensive for the local rescue organizations. A drone is far cheaper, easier to maneuver, and flight lessons can be learned by about anyone in the team. Drones can also fly in conditions with low visibility and poor weather conditions. This of course, is possible as long as the drone is equipped with the proper devices.
During the past decade, 7% of recorded drownings in the country is because of rock fishing. Hopefully, with the introduction of drones in the rescue process, that number would go down.
