Artificial intelligence drones being tested by NSW Surf Life Saving Clubs set to aid in shark mitigation, search and rescues

Unmanned AI drones to aid in shark mitigation, search and rescues and a raft of other situations are being assessed for a possible rollout in northern NSW and further afield.

Surf Life Saving NSW put AI drones through a series of tests during a week-long, Long-Range UAV Project held at Evans Head.

Drones controlled by artificial intelligence are in the sights of NSW Surf Life Saving after impressive trials of the technology at Evans Head in the north of the state.

Trials last month examined use of the unmanned technology in shark and wildlife surveillance, search and rescue operations at day and night and natural disaster identification.

The Long-Range UAV Project aims to safely trial four different types of drones capable of flying further and for longer, operating beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS).

Four vendors had their gear put to the test by ex-military unmanned aircraft operations flight instructor Sue Osborn.

She said the “important part about doing a test and evaluation like this” and was ensuring and “observing” the devices perform and meet criteria as expected.

Ms Osborn said “glossy brochures” boasting incredible performance claims were not always seen in “real time”.

Lifesavers watch on as a drone takes to the sky.

The five day trial south of Ballina included the drones taking turns looking for ‘missing’ bushwalkers, as well as 16 other scenarios.

The Australian Uncrewed Aerial Vehicle Service (AUAVS) is a unit of Surf Life Saving and is the largest coastal drone surveillance program in the Southern Hemisphere.

Surf Life Saving already has a fleet of more than 200 drones.

Chief remote pilot Paul Hardy said trial findings could help determine how drones are used across the state in future.

“We’re really pleased with how the week went – opportunities to get so many like-minded people together and test some truly outstanding drones under controlled conditions don’t come around very often,” he said.

AI long-range drones pegged to assist with emergencies on North Coast.

Mr Hardy said the potential of the technology was “massive” and could lead to drone operators not being exposed to dangerous situations.

“It allows us to reduce response time to incidents and provide greater situational awareness in so many other scenarios,” he said.

“It really could be a game changer.”

Surf Life Saving NSW chief executive officer Steve Pearce said while drones are not often the first thought that comes to mind regarding beach lifesaving efforts, they have become a vital tool.

“The kicker is that they’re useful in so many other situations, not just at the beach,” he said.

“Last year our drones were used heavily during the NSW floods to assist the SES in developing a complete situational understanding of the unfolding disaster and aiding their roll out of assistance to communities in need.”

The viability of the AI drones will continue to be assessed.