The drone turns into a lifesaver when it lands in the water

Drone TY-3R can help two adults float on water, has a communication range of 1.1 km and operates for 10 minutes on a single charge.

The lifebuoy hybrid drone can take off and land right on the water. (Photo: Didiok Makings)

Chinese drone company Didiok Makings produces "Flying Buoy TY-3R" , a vehicle that combines a 4-rotor drone and a life buoy, New Atlas reported on April 29. When rescuers on shore detect a person in distress swimming at sea, they can activate the TY-3R, so that it quickly flies to the swimmer and then lands on the water, turning into a lifebuoy. Swimmers can use it as a flotation device. Rescue workers will then have time to retrieve the rescue boat and drive it to the incident location, bringing the victim back to shore.

The TY-3R takes off with just one push of a button on the remote controller. While flying to the designated destination, the drone also provides the operator with real-time vision using the integrated 720p camera. After the person in distress is rescued and does not need to rely on the drone to float, the operator just needs to press a button for it to automatically fly back to the takeoff position according to GPS coordinates. Notably, it has the ability to take off right on the water.

The TY-3R can support two adults floating on water , has a communication range of 1.1km, a maximum speed of 47km/h and an operating time of more than 10 minutes per battery charge. This drone model weighs less than 5 kg and has good water resistance according to IP68 standard. This means it will not be damaged when immersed at a depth of 1 meter for 30 minutes.

When landing on the water, TY-3R will turn off the engines. In addition, the drone is also equipped with screens on the propellers to better protect swimmers. This vehicle is currently priced at $11,803.

This is not the world's first rescue drone model for swimmers. Vehicles such as Pars (USA), Little Ripper (Australia), Auxdron (Spain) are also capable of performing this task, but their method is to drop a separate flotation device to the person in distress instead. because it landed directly in the water.