TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2018//
TI  - Unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) to prevent drowning
JO  - Resuscitation
A1  - Seguin, Celia
A1  - Blaquière, Gilles
A1  - Loundou, Anderson
A1  - Michelet, Pierre
A1  - Markarian, Thibaut
SP  - 63
EP  - 67
VL  - 127
IS  - 
N2  - BACKGROUND: Drowning literature have highlighted the submersion time as the most powerful predictor in assessing the prognosis. Reducing the time taken to provide a flotation device and prevent submersion appears of paramount importance. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) can provide the location of the swimmer and a flotation device. <br><br>OBJECTIVE: The objective of this simulation study was to evaluate the efficiency of a UAV in providing a flotation device in different sea conditions, and to compare the times taken by rescue operations with and without a UAV (standard vs UAV intervention). Several comparisons were made using professional lifeguards acting as simulated victims. A specifically-shaped UAV was used to allow us to drop an inflatable life buoy into the water. <br><br>RESULTS: During the summer of 2017, 28 tests were performed. UAV use was associated with a reduction of time it took to provide a flotation device to the simulated victim compared with standard rescue operations (p < 0.001 for all measurements) and the time was reduced even further in moderate (81 ± 39 vs 179 ± 78 sec; p < 0.001) and rough sea conditions (99 ± 34 vs 198 ± 130 sec; p < 0.001). The times taken for UAV to locate the simulated victim, identify them and drop the life buoy were not altered by the weather conditions. <br><br>CONCLUSION: UAV can deliver a flotation device to a swimmer safely and quickly. The addition of a UAV in rescue operations could improve the quality and speed of first aid while keeping lifeguards away from dangerous sea conditions.<br><br>Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 0300-9572
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.resuscitation.2018.04.005
ID  - ref1
ER  -