Deliver a lightweight floatation device using a toy remote controlled helicopter to sinking person in the sea.
Alternatively model airplanes could be used, but they are not very good at hovering.
I think this could be much faster method of delivery of floatation device compared to lifeguard running and jumping into the water.
Is Baywatch listening ?-- VJW, Jan 25 2011 More reliable, perhaps. http://history.msfc...ov/rocketry/16.html [mouseposture, Jan 25 2011] Alternatively, a stack of aerobie life rings with a skeet launcher.
P.S. category?-- Ling, Jan 25 2011 fixed.-- VJW, Jan 25 2011 I'd guess a lot of rescues have to be made in stormy conditions. Model helicopters (the controllable ones - not the tiny indoor ones) are hard enough to control in good conditions.
Perhaps a harpoon with a flotation device - doesn't require the standed person to be concious.-- Twizz, Jan 25 2011 //The whole idea is based on a false premise and would be greatly improved by the addition of a trebuchet.//
Beat ya to it, [pertinax] ...-- 8th of 7, Jan 25 2011 //trebuchet//"Woohoo! nailed him""Yes, but now he's sinking""But we know where he is"
[+]-- FlyingToaster, Jan 25 2011 an article I read recently discussed using quadcopter drones to deploy lifesaving equipment to drowning people. Even a small drone could get to the victim faster than an Olympic swimmer. I'll give this a bun, even though technology has surpassed this idea.-- whlanteigne, Jun 02 2015 I saw a video on that a few months ago. It looked pretty effective.
Didn't Patent Bending try a couple of methods (I think a rocket and a cannon) for this purpose?-- notexactly, Jun 13 2015 If the quad floated, it would give new meaning to deploying the lifesaver.-- wjt, Jun 13 2015 Don't just drop pool toys on me and leave! Tow me to shore already!-- bungston, Jun 13 2015 // If the quad floated, it would give new meaning to deploying the lifesaver.//
Actually, you probably could make a quadcopter that doubled as a flotation device. The body would be made largely of expanded polystyrene with a tougher shell.
The only problem would be sealing around the propeller shafts, but that would probably be doable.-- MaxwellBuchanan, Jun 13 2015 Well I think Sweden is trialling or looking at or thinking about autonomous drones equipped with Defribulators for extremely rapid response for heart attacks. So there's a lot of movement in this space.
Lifesavers might be better off with a cannon of sorts that shoots a floating line across the victim who can grab on and be towed back to shore. This could be made with off-the shelf components (and would very much be increased incentive for people to become lifesavers...).
There are quadcopters available that are semi-waterproof, ie they can land in water and, mostly, the motors stay dry-ish (with appropriate water proofing and maintenance of the bearings it all survives nicely). Maybe a contactless magnetic coupling could be used to conduct drive across a waterproof membrane?-- Custardguts, Jun 14 2015 //there's a lot of movement in this space// They wouldn't be much use otherwise.-- MaxwellBuchanan, Jun 14 2015 Waterproof, amphibious quadcopters have been on the market for at least a year now. I think Flite Test has a video on one. You'd just need to add a lot more flotation to that. I recommend aerogel for minimal extra weight it has to carry.-- notexactly, Jun 15 2015 Cannons would be a fixed target deal but a fishing line tied drone life-ring would have all the advantages.-- wjt, Jun 15 2015 random, halfbakery