---
title: "A Rescue Drone Saved Two Teen Swimmers on Its First Day of Deployment"
description: "A rescue drone saved a pair of teen swimmers from dangerous surf off the coast of Australia, reaching them in just 70 seconds."
date: "2018-01-18"
modified: "2018-01-18"
authors:
  - name: "Patrick Caughill"
    link: "https://futurism.com/authors/patrickcaughill"
url: "https://futurism.com/rescue-drone-saved-two-teen-swimmers-first-day-deployment"
categories:
  - "Drones"
  - "Robotics"
  - "Robots and Machines"
tags:
  - "drone"
  - "first responders"
  - "rescue drones"
---

# A Rescue Drone Saved Two Teen Swimmers on Its First Day of Deployment

![rescue drone](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/1-5.jpg>)
*\<em\>Image: \<a href="http://en.jttuav.com/" target="\_blank"\>JTT Technology\</a\>\</em\>*

## Rescue From Above

On its very first day in operation, a new rescue drone helped lifeguards save two teenage swimmers stranded about 700 meters (2,300 feet) offshore of Lennox Head, New South Wales.

The company [Little Ripper Life Saver](<https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwiQuq3Z7uHYAhWQ2VMKHXyOB_kQFggpMAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Flittleripper.com%2F&usg=AOvVaw2JNyTd9rkTgcIkk6ByWsg3>) developed the rescue drone, and the lifeguards had just started training with it Thursday morning when a member of the public alerted them that two teens were struggling in a swell of around three meters (9.8 feet).

Ballina lifeguard supervisor Jai Sheridan piloted the drone to the swimmers and released a flotation device, which inflated once it reached the water. The swimmers, ages 15 and 17, were then able to cling to the device as they swam back to shore.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gzs-4yNyL58

“I was able to launch it, fly it to the location, and drop the pod all in about one to two minutes,” Sheridan [told *the Sydney Morning Herald.*](<http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/world-first-a-drone-has-been-used-to-rescue-two-swimmers-struggling-in-heavy-surf-20180118-h0kg9m.html?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=nc&eid=socialn%3Atwi-13omn1677-edtrl-other%3Annn-17%2F02%2F2014-edtrs_socialshare-all-nnn-nnn-vars-o%26sa%3DD%26usg%3DALhdy28zsr6qiq>)

A government official confirmed that the entire rescue took just 70 seconds, while a human lifeguard would have needed an average of six minutes to reach the swimmers.

"This is a world-first rescue," Australian Deputy Premier John Barilaro [told the *Australian Broadcasting Corporation*](<http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-01-18/drone-rescues-boys-from-surf-lennox-head/9340784>). “Never before has a drone fitted with a floatation device been used to rescue swimmers like this.”

## Daredevil Bots

Not only did the Little Ripper drone help get the two swimmers out of danger, it also eliminated the need to put a human lifeguard in harm's way. It's also far from the only machine being built to help keep people safe.

Researchers from the [University of Technology Sydney School of Software](<https://www.uts.edu.au/about/faculty-engineering-and-information-technology/software>) have developed an artificial intelligence (AI) that, when paired with a Little Ripper Life Saver drone, can help identify and [warn swimmers and surfers](<https://futurism.com/australia-is-deploying-ai-drones-to-help-prevent-shark-attacks>) of nearby sharks.

https://youtu.be/HItdecoGK3A

Beaches aren't the only areas targeted by rescue drone developers, though — the devices are also taking to the skies to help with emergencies on land. Swedish startup Flypulse has developed a drone that can deliver [life-saving equipment](<https://futurism.com/life-saving-drones-can-beat-ambulances-to-heart-attack-victims>) to the site of an emergency four times faster than it typically takes an ambulance to arrive on the scene.

Drones are expanding the capabilities of rescue teams in a variety of ways, while also keeping first responders safe. As their use becomes more common, they have the potential to dramatically cut down the number of lives lost to [natural disasters](<https://futurism.com/the-red-cross-officially-launched-the-first-drone-program-for-disasters>), failed rescue missions, and ocean hazards.

### Author social links  
[LinkedIn](<https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-caughill-74178a61>)