Lifeboat drone rescues youths on Australian beach; see how it went

Two teenagers were rescued off the north coast of Australia on Thursday (18) after apparently swimming away from shore and unable to return. And all of that was thanks to technology: the operation was carried out by a drone now doing lifeguard work in the country, in an unprecedented action around the world.

The video below shows the operation, with the drone dropping a kind of buoy that inflates on contact with water and can be used as a support to prevent drowning. The rescue on the beach in New South Wales was filmed by the equipment itself and was a success as the two youngsters made it back to shore using the yellow object.

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The most curious? These drones were introduced to the public just hours before they first went into action and are still in the testing period - meaning this success is good news.

Robotic baywatch

According to Australian authorities, the lifeboat drone "rescued" in about 70 seconds, while mobilizing a human team could take more than five minutes. The youths were at a location three meters deep 700 meters from the coast.

The supervisor who commanded the operation was responsible for identifying the need to use the drone, pilot it and release the float. The human team is far from retired by technology: not all cases will be solved with drones, which are useful for identifying potential incidents in low visibility areas.

Rescue drones are new in Australia and around the world, but unmanned equipment is already used in the country to monitor the approach of sharks to beaches.

Lifeboat drone rescues youths on Australian beach; see how it was via TecMundo