US LIFEGUARDS USE PHANTOM DRONE TO SPOT SHARKS

Novel Use of Camera Drone Keeps Beachgoers and Sharks Safe

Californian lifeguards are using a mid-range UAV from Phantom to search out sharks in the vicinity of Seal Beach, Orange County, US. It used to take lifeguards up to several hours a day to confirm shark sightings, this involved sending personnel out on jet skis to roam the coastline. Now, Seal Beach Marine Safety Chief Joe Bailey sends up his Phantom drone, which can hover at over 100 feet above the ocean, to confirm in real time whether there are sharks in the area. The drone’s on-board camera can spot a shark’s tell-tale shadow from far away, allowing Chief Bailey to move his waterborne team in for a closer look. Chief Bailey will then make an assessment on whether to close the beach based on the shark’s size and perceived aggressiveness.

Chief Bailey has been using the drone for the past month and is very happy with the results. “It works great,” he said. “It flies up about 100 feet, looks down a wide area, and when we see the shadows, we’ll go down and focus in on them.” On the day the video below was filmed, Chief Bailey and his team observed between 10 and 12 sharks, measuring some 5 to 6 feet (1.5-1.8 meters), swimming close to Surfside beach. None was found to be exhibiting aggressive behavior, therefore the decision was made to keep the beach open to the public. The Southland lifeguard’s experience is just one of the novel ways drones are being used to improve people’s lives. In industry, UAV’s are being increasingly used for site surveys at oil and gas installations, helping to keep people out of harm’s way. Drones for spotting sharks is just the start.