AI drone quickly finds hikers lost and freezing in Australian national park
AI technology is not necessarily going to take your job away. And it can also save lives. In Australia, a fire and rescue team just used an AI-equipped drone to find two hikers missing in the Snowy Mountains.
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AI-equipped drone found two lost hikers in Australia’s Snowy Mountains in under five hours after they were reported missing.
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Thermal imaging and real-time AI analysis helped rescuers locate the hikers quickly and safely.
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Officials said the technology shortened the search dramatically while reducing risk for rescue crews.
The hikers had lost their way and veered off a walking track in Kosciuszko National Park in Australia’s state of New South Wales (NSW).
After the men, both in their 20s, failed to return to a rendezvous point on time, Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) decided to deploy an AI-powered drone in a first-of-its-kind mission. The drone quickly located the hikers with the help of thermal imaging.
Speed was of the essence as it’s winter in Australia, and cold in the Snowy Mountains. It took less than 5 hours after the hikers were reported missing for the drone’s AI software to identify the pair in the bush, and its thermal imaging camera confirmed the find.
At the same time, the hikers used a red light on a mobile phone to attract the drone in the dark. The drone’s built-in speaker was also able to contact the hikers.
The Fire and Rescue NSW operator activated the drone’s spotlight to direct the ground crew to the location, and the pair was guided to safety, as a video demonstrates. They were found about half a kilometer (0.3 miles) off the track.
“The training and support provided by FRNSW’s Aviation Unit ensured local firefighters had the skills and equipment to support Police and the State Emergency Services to effect a successful operation,” FRNSW Commander John Marzol said.
The Fire and Rescue inspector and regional duty commander for the NSW Alpine area, Phillip Eberle, additionally told ABC News that the AI technology probably reduced the search by several days.
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“It’s definitely helped make what could have been a long-term incident into a very short-term incident. There’s every chance in the world we could have still been out there,” said Eberle.
FRNSW has been deploying AI-equipped drones over the past 18 months. The drones carry four cameras, including infrared ones, allowing their AI software to analyze thousands of images in real time.
According to Eberle, the technology also translates into fewer risks for rescuers.
“It means less time on the mountain and less time looking for people, and reduced risk so that the volunteers can get home to their families quicker.”
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