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Lifeguards have been using drones as a way to keep an eye out for sharks, rips, and struggling swimmers for years. But now a drone has officially saved a life.While testing out the adorably named Little Ripper drone, off Lennox Head in NSW, lifeguards received a call that two swimmers were in trouble. Within 70 seconds the drone had located the 17-year-old and 15-year-old and dropped off a floatation pod. The pair were then able to make their own way back to shore. Without the drone, lifeguards estimated it would have taken them several more minutes to get to the swimmers.
Lifeguard supervisor Jai Sheridan was the man behind the machine, piloting the drone through the whole thing. Speaking to SMH, he said: "The Little Ripper UAV certainly proved itself today, it is an amazingly efficient piece of lifesaving equipment and a delight to fly."Lennox Head lifeguards have been testing the drones for two summers as part of a $16-million shark-spotting program.Follow VICE on Twitter.