The use of technological devices, such as aerial drones and remote-controlled underwater robots, can significantly improve search and rescue operations at sea. In addition to increasing the survival chances of accident victims, here are the advantages they offer and how they work alongside professionals.
Every year, thousands of boaters, sailors, fishermen, sailors, migrants, and workers find themselves in distress at sea. Caught in sudden storms, stranded by a boat failure, or lost after falling overboard. In those moments, time isn’t just money, it’s survival. Rescue at sea has always relied on a combination of human vigilance, radar and GPS, and manned ships and aircraft. These tools save countless lives, but they have limitations. They have limited autonomy, high operating costs, and ships can take hours, sometimes days, to reach the accident site. Radars also struggle to detect small or partially submerged objects, especially in rough seas. When the search area extends for hundreds of nautical miles, the challenges for aircraft, vessels, and divers increase even further.
The stakes are even higher today, as shipping lanes are busier and climate change is altering weather patterns, making storms and severe weather less predictable. This is where new technological systems, such as aerial drones and remote-controlled underwater robots, come into play. They have been operating in the world’s seas and oceans for several years, and we have seen them in action in Italy too. For example in the Costa Concordia and Bayesian shipwrecks, when they were used to monitor wrecks, conduct internal and external inspections, and plan their removal. Recently, a drone was also used in Valencia, Spain, to save a 14-year-old drowning boy.
Risks, distances, and time: robots and underwater drones overcome barriers
There are countless models of underwater drones and robots. Specifically, the latter are divided into two main categories: ROVs (Remotely Operated Vehicles) and AUVs (Autonomous Underwater Vehicles). The fundamental difference is that ROVs are controlled remotely by a human operator via a cable, while AUVs operate autonomously and pre-programmed, without the need for a continuous physical connection. Both drones and robots can be piloted remotely, can operate for over 24 hours without refueling (particularly some fixed-wing drone models), and scan large areas with high-resolution sensors. Equipped with day and night vision, GPS, and radar, these systems can locate life rafts, wrecks, and even a castaway in the water.
But the true value of drones and robots in SAR (Search and Rescue) missions lies in their ability to speed up decision-making. In maritime rescue, every minute saved in locating a target is a minute gained for rescue teams. Drones and robots can maintain constant aerial or underwater surveillance, transmit live video (drones and ROVs, but not AUVs, which upload data at the end of the mission) to command centers, and coordinate directly with rescue boats, all without putting a single operator at risk.
How underwater drones are used for search and rescue
Search and rescue missions are all about speed. Drones can be launched rapidly and cover large areas in a fraction of the time required by other air and sea vehicles.
The strength of drones is their high-resolution cameras. Clear, high-quality aerial images and video footage of the search area allow rescue teams to identify potential clues or signs of the person who fell overboard. A high-resolution camera can also zoom in, aiding in identification.
Technological “eyes” that see everywhere
A major help comes from thermal cameras that do not rely on visible light, but instead detect heat signatures. This represents a breakthrough for search and rescue at night, in conditions of poor visibility, fog, or smoke. Thermal images can reveal the body heat of a missing person, even if hidden from view. This is particularly valuable in situations where a person may be injured and unable to call for help.
Finally, drones can remain in the air for extended periods, enabling in-depth searches over large areas. This is particularly useful in large-scale search operations or in situations where the missing person’s location is unknown.
The Use of Marine Robots in Underwater Rescue
Underwater robots can also revolutionize search and rescue at sea, performing tasks in dangerous conditions, covering large areas more quickly, and using advanced sensors to detect and explore wrecks or locate victims. The main advantage of underwater robots is that they can operate effectively in challenging conditions, such as seabeds with fast-moving currents or tidal waters, areas difficult or impossible to navigate for boats and divers. They can operate at depths of several tens or hundreds of meters, and are not affected by cold or lack of light.
Some models, such as AUVs, can be programmed to conduct autonomous searches, reducing the need for constant human intervention and freeing up personnel for other tasks. Robots, in particular, reduce the risk to divers operating in hazardous environments and can also help map the seabed, locate victims using sonar or cameras, and in some cases even facilitate their transport to the surface.
They also use advanced detection technologies: they are equipped with sensors such as sonar and cameras that operate in low-visibility conditions, making it possible to locate victims even in murky or dark waters, where human divers would be unable to see. Finally, marine robots can be equipped with various instruments and payloads to adapt to different rescue scenarios, such as transporting a person to the surface or inspecting underwater wrecks.
Precious companions for rescue professionals
The human impact of this technology is undeniable. Fishermen caught in a storm, sailors trapped on a damaged vessel, migrants abandoned offshore: all of these individuals have a greater chance of survival. Of course, it must be said that there are also critical issues related to the use of drones and underwater robots, such as the very high cost of these technologies and the fact that in difficult weather conditions, their autonomy can be reduced by up to 30 percent.
The next generation of these devices will certainly be further enhanced thanks to the constant evolution of artificial intelligence, satellite networking, and the ability to work as a team as complementary partners to marine rescue professionals, who will operate in perfect synchronicity for a single, important goal: saving lives.
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