OceanAlpha has announced that it has launched the Dolphin 1, a smart, buoyant, unmanned surface vessel (USV) designed for rescue applications that is battery powered and remotely navigated.
The Dolphin 1 can be easily stored, transported, and deployed, and improves workflows for water rescuers, marinas, and offshore oil and gas platforms, decreasing overall costs and risks involved with search and rescue missions. Since the Dolphin 1 operates equally well in all types of water environments, it is ideal for augmenting or replacing personal flotation devices and other water vehicles like jet skis or small craft.
Victims are often unprepared for the water and panic when confronted with conditions that are beyond nominal. In these situations, unlike other water rescue equipment, when time is of the essence, the Dolphin’s 500m range and almost 10 miles/hour speed allow it to be quickly deployed and remote control rescue facilitates navigation toward a victim in distress. Additionally, high penetration fog lights located near the front top of the Dolphin 1 provide increased visibility in fog and at night, reducing the risk of losing sight of the victim and enabling rescuers to maintain a vantage point.
