Equipped with camera gimbal systems that are capable of capturing and broadcasting crystal clear video down to operators on the ground, drones have quickly become invaluable tools in monitoring large areas of land and sea. This, along with tumbling prices and increasingly sophisticated features have made them a popular tool for aerial surveillance around the world.
For marine safety experts and lifeguards, drones have become highly useful tools in ensuring public safety and in search and rescue operations. In the case of the Seal Beach Marine Safety and Lifeguard Department in Orange County, California, a drone is used to monitor shark activity to protect swimmers, among other things.
Since spring of this year, the department has been using a DJI Phantom 3 to successfully monitor the movements of juvenile sharks along the coast of Surfside beach and has been doing so for the past five weeks as part of a trial program. Marine Safety Chief Joe Bailey said the Phantom 3 has proven to be very efficient in tracking sharks throughout the program. With each mission, the Phantom 3 has been successful in spotting sharks.
The same cannot be said for the previous method that was used for shark spotting. Prior to the drone trial, the only way to scan for sharks was to send lifeguards by boat — a time-consuming and ineffective method since lifeguards have only a limited view of the sea from a boat. Also, boats often scare sharks away. With the use of a drone, each search mission is completed in roughly 30 minutes with a high success rate in tracking down sharks.
Prior to the drone trial, the only way to scan for sharks was to send lifeguards by boat — a time-consuming and ineffective method since lifeguards have only a limited view of the sea from a boat
The sharks, mostly juvenile and measuring only 5 to 6 feet in length, haven’t bothered anyone and Bailey is careful not to chase or harass them while being mindful that wild animals will defend themselves when threatened. The risk of sharks harming people in the water is very low, according to Chris Lowe, a professor and director of the Shark Lab at Cal State Long Beach. According to Lowe, such sharks shouldn’t deter people interested in swimming or surfing in the area.
Besides monitoring sharks, the department has also found the drone to be effective in locating submerged vessels or missing swimmers and has been receiving inquiries from lifeguards around the world regarding the use of drones to monitor coastlines.