Wrong again sir. Our drones come with infrared and nighttime vision. The batteries stay charged until next use and doesn’t residually drain without being used…They come with spare batteries that remain in a charging port and replaced every shift change.
Oh yea of little faith sir…Drone operators are trained to almost perfection. The drone doesnt recognise victin but opeeator does on his visual screen…He sees what the drone sees.
You are right to an extent. Yes the drag increases but drag is becomes worrisome at certain speeds and at certain heights. A drone can fly close enough to the ground and yes a drone can reach a mile in less than 10mins or less. Some batteries last 20mins of flight time before it starts a warning signal.
Sir im not sure what maitenenance culture you talk about but not to sound too boisterous. Coming from a time in the Army, a marine engineer and the fire service, I believe a good power source when needed would be and should be available. The devices come with their charging ports and spare batteries that are constantly on charge and switched out to fresh batteries every shift change even without use.
I can barely keep my crew supplied with charged batteries on their UHF radios. Shift change?
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Why all the negativity. Just assume that a test to a distance of 10 meters over a calm pond means you can drag a line one mile out and eliminate the negative effects on the drone’s performance by flying low and dragging the line in the water. Assume that this is feasible at night on a pitching deck in high winds, stormy seas and poor visibility when it’s likely to be most needed. Assume all this can be done while complying with 14 CFR PART 107—SMALL UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS. Assume that ship operators will embrace the additional expense of the equipment and 3 qualified drone pilots in order to have 24/7 coverage.
Seems pretty simple.
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Oh no my friend. No negativity here sir. I embrace rigorous criticism. I have been indeed taking your input with all rapt attention. The reasons tou bring up are legitimate but surmountable. Like to discuss more.
I take it that your product has gained the required “wheel mark” certification as marine equipment can only be installed on board ships flying the flag of an EU country, Norway, Iceland and other flag states and must be marked with the MED mark of conformity, also known as the “wheelmark”.
I can see a role for this drone for ship to ship transfer in salvage situations but an MOB in open waters on a container ship or gas carrier doing a Williamson’s turn at 17+ knots, no! But inland US and EU waterways perhaps…
UK Coastguard (and yes it is spelt correctly- civil service typo in 1926 UK Coastguard Act enshrined the spelling into law) is currently trialling similar drones for coastal water, cliff and land search rescue scenarios.
Attaching an MOB to a moving ship will only drown him quicker (try getting dragged by a line if you don’t believe me), and in a lot of cases you can have the MOB boat on the water faster than you can stop the ship. Most if not all MOBs who end up dead take a long time to recover because you lose track of them. If you can find him quickly, you’re more than halfway there.
Why bother with the line at all? Instead of dragging a mile of line (which frankly sounds ludicrous), why not spend your money on a drone borne sensor array that will reliably locate your MOB?
With that in mind, how about spending your drone money on making sure that everyone on deck is wearing a SART/PLB? That sounds much cheaper and more reliable…
No doubt drones will play a role somewhere in aiding people in distress in the water, and I’m sure CaptainJOEL’s product will find useful employment on busy beaches.
However, my vessels operate in the Aleutian Islands, where we have a saying: “Dutch Harbor is where technology goes to die.” Much of the marvelous technology which works so well in the lower 49 States quickly gives up the ghost in an environment where 30 knot winds and twenty foot seas seem to be the rule and not the exception. In my neck of the woods, people are far more likely to fall overboard in rough weather than calm weather.
After reading several posts here, I wonder if a case might be made for an autonomous drone watercraft that can be dropped in the sea after someone has fallen overboard, with a guidance system that homes-in on a PLB signal. A small, autonomous craft with water-jet propulsion that would get within a few feet of the victim, hove-to, deploy into a float they can attach themselves to, and flash a light/emit a radar transponder signal.
The difference, of course, is that flying in high winds, rain, and spray is difficult even for helicopters and requires an experienced operator. An autonomous surface craft homing-in on a signal would have an easier time of it.
Not to put a damper on the flying drone idea. I love it when people push technology to the limit. (I just don’t like standing underneath it when they do…
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Thank you.Our concept was borne out of the prevalent problems faced by firefighters and first responders while responding to post-hurricane/flooding emergencies here in the US. The rigors and weathering agents of ocean vessels weren’t put into severe consideration but I believe that with the great minds on this forum, with your inputs and advice, we can make it happen. Too many lives are lost everyday to preventable drowning from preventable MOB situations.
Freighterman1 has good advice. Start with flood and beach applications.
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Great idea sir…but correct me if I’m wrong…the autonomous craft, though a great idea would be very expensive considering. A drone only needs one pilot who can be a member of crew that is rigorously trained. Trust me it aint rocket science. I thought otherwise earlier.
And I have dutch friends that are very meticulous when it comes to new tech. So though your adage might hold true in those days, it might not now. We should find ways of getting better and safer ways of emergency response. No matter how slow change might come. The slower the better. Here’s a firefighting adage for you: “Slow is Smooth…Smooth is Fast”
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To add to earlier reply:please note that as long as every crew member wears a PLB (Mandatory)the drone and operator will spot him/her…
Hell! The crew should never take it off their gear but sleep with it.
I agree.
Great idea…Awesome
Thank you so much. I’ll add to our To-do list. Do you have any where in the USA its done? Its a new law from 2014. We’ll be going international soon. Anything else we need To take stock of sir for international waters?
I appreciate your intricate advice. I’d like To discuss more sir.
Understand that but the drone would be remedial action whilst the main focus should be to stop persons entering the water in the first place. This is Safety I versus Safety II thinking which is all about overcoming the needs must/gang ho/macho attitudes versus prevention/forward thinking approach which is the true difference between complicated and complex situational analysis.