Loughborough University student Dominic Leatherland has developed a drone that will deliver rescue equipment to victims on the water.
The new development differs from the previous prototypes. Previously used drones are too expensive and rescue equipment is too bulky. It cannot be easily loaded onto the back of a rescue ATV or vehicle, much less transported on foot.
Dominic Leatherland, who qualified as a lifeguard on the water, wanted to develop a smaller and more portable system that could be deployed much faster without specialized skills. Timing is of the essence when someone in the water is in danger.
So he created SERVITA, a small, compact drone that flies over dangerous waters. It locates people in distress. When detected, it deploys the flotation aid. It inflates automatically when hitting the water, helping victims stay afloat while waiting for a rescue team.
The proposed design uses technologies such as GPS, a live camera, and two servos that allow the pilot to control the angle of the camera.
