Australian lifeguards on Thursday used a drone to rescue two swimmers off a beach in New South Wales, the first time the technology is being used in this way, Reuters reported.
Lifeguards at Lennox Head, a popular surfers’ beach, were preparing for a training session on how to use the country’s new drone technology to save swimmers, when they noticed two men in trouble, the government said.
Lifeguards then launched a drone, directed it to the swimmers and dropped a “rescue pod”. The pod expanded once it hit the water, the swimmers grabbed on to it and floated to shore.
The rescue took 70 seconds, Reuters said.
“Never before has a drone fitted with a flotation device been used to rescue swimmers like this,” said John Barilaro, the deputy premier of New South Wales said. Barilaro released a video of the rescue on Twitter.
Barilaro said the country invested $3,43,000 (Rs 2.1 crore) to develop the technology in December.
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