Indian Naval Academy develops autonomous maritime rescue drones

A team from the Indian Naval Academy has developed a dual-drone autonomous system designed to enhance maritime search and rescue (SAR) operations. The system utilizes two unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that work in coordination via long-range RF communication.

The process begins with a quadcopter equipped with 2K optical and thermal cameras. Using a YOLO AI model, the quadcopter scans live feeds to identify individuals in the water. Once a person is detected, a second drone, a hexacopter, flies to the GPS coordinates to deliver a lifebuoy. To ensure human oversight, the lifebuoy is only released upon the direct command of an operator.

The quadcopter features a 45-minute flight time, a 0.5 kg payload capacity, and a maximum speed of 50 km/h. The hexacopter can carry a 2.5 kg payload, has a 25-minute flight time, and reaches speeds of 40 km/h. Both drones operate within a 10 km radius.