Project Ryptide-A Life Saving Drone Accessory
A great application for a Quadcopter.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/flying-robots/project-ryptide-a-life-saving-drone-accessory
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/flying-robots/project-ryptide-a-life-saving-drone-accessory
Comments
It's a great way to save your drone but as a lifesaving device for swimmers caught in a rip-tide? Their one video addressing that is cleverly edited and the flotation device is being thrown to the swimmer, not dropped from a drone.
I think there's a big difference between using an approved flotation device and having an approved delivery method. As far as every drone pilot being a lifeguard with one of these?
I'd promote as a drone saver and drop any mention of it being a rip tide life saving device.
The first video clearly shows it being dropped in the water from the Quad. I would think it is a life saving device. A lifeguard could dispatch this within seconds, and then get on a surfboard to bring the victim in. Seconds count. (Certified EMT talking)
The second person can monitor the victim and drop the flotation device quite precisely.
The video shows it being dropped in the water, true and then there's a scene where it looks like it works so well that it appears to be tossed to the victim. That seems a bit misleading to me. Show it being dropped to a victim in the water and the victim getting to it. That would be a bit more realistic even though it would be a staged event. I realize seconds count, but also wonder what kind of liability these kids are opened up to NOT being USCG certified but promoting it a as a rescue device. How's it work when you drop it downwind/downcurrent from a victim? How much training comes with the "droppable rescue device"
Plus the growing potential of the lowering common denominator going out body surfing in the rip tides because they have their "Quad LifeGuard" with them and are now safe. Those idiots will always put first responders in danger but things like this enable them.
I think it's a great idea in the trained hands of a first responder but maybe a danger in the hands of the general public.
You have to wonder why they need 10 grand to develop this for market. It's a very simple device with what looks like easily formed base and off-the-shelf parts. It could be done for a few thousand, probably less, and then with a commercially viable product, sold online. KickStarter is supposed to *kick start* a product into production, not be the production.
I see the larger problem being that no cerified lifeguard is going to spend the precious few seconds he or she has to save a life to control a quadcopter to a swimmer, who in panic may possibly not even see the life preserver a foot away from them. Lifeguards have only seconds to act as it is. I think it's an okay idea in certain circumstances, but it really requires a second lifeguard, or else a separate (uncertified) helper to pilot the quad while the lifeguard swims out for the real rescue. Two on duty seems an unlikely scenario given the budgets they give for lifeguards on public beaches.