Unmanned Robotic Watercraft Used in River and Sea Rescues

By Caroline Rees / 07 Jun 2012
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E.M.I.L.Y. - Emergency Integrated Lifesaving LanYard

The next time someone is trapped in a rain-swollen wash on the northwest side, EMILY might come to the rescue.

EMILY — which stands for EMergency Integrated Lifesaving LanYard — is an unmanned, remote-controlled watercraft developed by Sahuarita-based Hydronalix Inc. as a way to help first responders like lifeguards and water-rescue teams reach people in distress.

Today, Hydronalix presented an EMILY to the Northwest Fire District for use in swift-water rescues.

The idea is that swift-water rescue crews can launch EMILY into a running wash and use it to reach victims with a rescue line, Hydronalix vice president Rori Marston said as the EMILY unit was delivered at Northwest Fire’s Station No. 38.

The roughly $10,000 craft was one of seven units funded by a $60,000 federal grant through the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Defense.

The other EMILYs delivered under the grant include one delivered earlier to the Green Valley Fire District, two each with lifeguard departments in Los Angeles and San Diego and one at Depoe Bay, Ore.

Source: Arizona Daily Star

Posted by Caroline Rees Caroline co-founded Unmanned Systems Technology and has been at the forefront of the business ever since. With a Masters Degree in marketing Caroline has her finger on the pulse of all things unmanned and is committed to showcasing the very latest in unmanned technical innovation. Connect & Contact