Drone technology has evolved to take the pressure off a solo pilot in emergency scenarios.
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The Ripper Corporation's pilots Nic Dyson and Darren Froggatt were at Oxley Beach, Port Macquarie on Tuesday, October 5 to test out the new drone technology, which allows people at a control centre to have eyes on a number of locations across the state.
Ripper Corporation has combined forces with Advanced Navigation to deliver the technology called Cloud Ground Control.
It's a platform which can control up to 1000 drones from a web browser over 4G and 5G networks.
The control centre can access live camera streams from multiple drones to assess situations.
The software also has the ability to launch floatation pods, shark shield devices and sea marker dye from the drones to assist swimmers in trouble.
Mr Dyson said the latest drone technology will allow the GPS coordinates to be delivered quickly in an emergency situation.
"Previously it has taken phone calls to enable lifeguards to get the necessary resources to beaches in emergency situations," he said.
"It's (Cloud Ground Control) a lot easier, faster and a more streamlined way of communication to be able to help people."
Mr Dyson has been working in Port Macquarie as a drone pilot since 2017 and said the technology also takes the pressure off him having to be across all aspects of an emergency situation as it unfolds.
"As long as we have the drone up in the sky we know we've also got another set of eyes helping us," he said.
Mr Dyson decided to become a drone pilot with Little Ripper as he was attracted to the technology which can potentially help save lives.
He was developing the drone's artificial intelligence technology in 2020 when he was thrown into an emergency situation.
"I had to sound the siren multiple times due to sharks travelling too close to surfers," Mr Dyson said.
Mr Dyson was thanked by the public for alerting them.
"It was really rewarding," he said.
The Ripper Corporation is also testing the Cloud Ground Control technology across the bush, with fleets of drones using infrared cameras to undertake koala count projects to help preserve the species.
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