DRONES TO HAVE EYES ON BEACHES
LIFESAVING drones will begin patrolling Queensland beaches from today , with the Gold Coast to deploy them later this year.
After years of trials, Surf Life Saving Queensland is launching a dozen drones to patrol beaches from the Gold Coast to Cairns.
It comes after Westpac, which has sponsored the state’s surf rescue helicopter service for 43 years, agreed to bankroll the newfangled “eyes in the sky”.
Volunteer lifesavers and professional lifeguards will be trained as drone pilots over winter before the full aerial surveillance scheme rolls out.
Surf Life Saving supervisor Nathan Fife said they hoped Gold Coast members would be trained at the same time.
“It’s one of those things that won’t replace any equipment but it definitely has advantages for search and rescue and spotting marine creatures,” he said.
“Our patron season finishes in the long weekend of May so hopefully ... we’ll be seeing them in September come school holidays.”
SLSQ lifesaving operations co-ordinator Jason Argent said drones had proven their worth during Queensland trials and extensive use in NSW. “They’re another eye in the sky that will be helpful in identifying swimmers in trouble, marine creatures or hazards such as rips,” he said.