Dubai

As many countries now use drones for rescue missions in most rural forests and highest mountains, Dubai reveals its Flying Rescuer. By using the drone for rescue missions in sea, Dubai becomes the second to implement it worldwide and the first in the Arab World.

As part of its continuous efforts and innovations to maintain the safety and security of public beach users in the emirate, the Dubai Municipality has developed “Flying Rescuer”. The Rescuer is an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV).

The drone will support the rescuers on the shores by locating struggling swimmers. It is also able to drop lifebuoys to keep them afloat while the ground team reaches their location.

How Does It Work?

The drone is capable of carrying a load of 8kg. It can be remote controlled manually or by determining a specific path for the device and launching it in auto mode to automatically follow its path.

It is possible as well to remotely control the launch of rescue buoys or rafts reaching the drowning site.

Flying Rescuer has two cameras, one to locate swimmers and another to help aim the inflatable drops.

The drone can fly for 30 minutes at a time. This enables it to carry out several rescue missions at the same time especially at the accidents of mass drowning.

It can also withstand the hot summer temperatures that drive residents to the city’s beaches during Dubai’s all-year hot weather.

It Talks Too!

The UAV contains an integrated system for addressing the public. The system enables the control point of the device to deliver remote voice guidance. This is definitely going to make a difference in cases of collective drowning or in the case of sweeping currents.

“The Emirate is keen to provide the best safety standards for all of its residents and Dubai Municipality is constantly exerting efforts  to implement practices to enhance safety,” Khalid Sharif Al Awadhi, Chief Executive Officer of Environment, Health and Safety at Dubai Muncipality, stated.

“The Flying Rescuer gives the initial response so that the human rescuers have access to the situation, which makes the rescue operations on holidays and weekends easier,” He added.

Alia Al Harmoudi, Director of the Environment Department, said: “The drone can transport up to four rings of lifebuoys to the drowning incident area which can support up to eight drowning people at the same time.”

She continued: “It is also a rescue raft that automatically inflates when it touches the water instead of buoys to save several people at the same time.”

Dubai continues to be ahead of many Arab countries when it comes to technology, the life-savers in particular. Drones are becoming essential equipment when it comes to recuse missions. We hope indeed to see this kind of innovation in Egypt.