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Watch a drone drop a float to two kids stranded at sea

By Kenny Yeo - on 17 Feb 2018, 12:49am

Watch a drone drop a float to two kids stranded at sea

Note: This article was first published on 19th January 2018.

(Image source: Little Ripper Life Saver)

A drone has just been used in Australia to save the lives of two teenage boys who were stranded out a sea.

Two teenage boys were caught in a 3 meter swell about 700 meters off the coast of Lennox Head in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, Australia.

Coincidentally, the drones were reportedly only unveiled that morning before being put into action.

Lifeguard supervisor Jai Sheridan said that thanks to the drones, he was able to save the kids in one to two minutes.

The drone was launched and was quickly dispatched to where the boys were. It then dropped a special floatation device that inflates when it hits the water.

Fortunately, the boys were able to grab the floatation device and swim to shore.

A government official later confirmed the rescue took only 70 seconds.

Without the drone, it would have taken lifeguards about 6 minutes to get to the swimmers. That could mean the difference between life and death.

Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional NSW John Barilaro said that this rescue was a world's first.

"Never before has a drone, fitted with a flotation device been used to rescue swimmers like this."

The drone was developed by a company called Little Ripper Life Saver that specializes in integrating lifesaving devices into drones.

Source: The Sydney Morning Herald via The Verge

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