A South Korean designer designed the Saver Whale underwater drone to save drowning victims. This "rescue whale" provides a waiting buoy for victims and allows their geolocation. This would be an added advantage for rescuers in the event of an accident.
Drowning usually occurs in just three minutes. This is the time it takes for water to enter the lungs and inevitably cause cardiorespiratory arrest . For rescuers, time is running out when an accident occurs. Based on this observation, the South Korean designer Lim Do-Hwi has developed a concept of "rescue whale", the Saver Whale.
According to the person concerned, when the conditions of access to an accident are difficult, the emergency services unfortunately do not have time to intervene. However, the Saver Whale drone can reach its objective quickly by reversing the steepest places. Upon arriving at the site, the drone will act as a holding buoy. Indeed, it will bring oxygen to the person, or even help him to hang on in order to rise to the surface and reduce his state of panic.
The Saver Whale drone – 87.6cm in length – can be steered from a command center. However, a helicopter can also drop it in the accident area to increase the chances of success. The device will then activate autonomously to find the survivors using sonar, radar and radio. Capable of geolocation, the device therefore allows rescuers to follow its route and arrive shortly after. In addition, the machine carries a first aid kit in which is a life jacket, oxygen, a walkie-talkie and a rope. In addition, he can throw a net towards the victim in order to bring him back to the mainland and thus prevent the current from dragging him. Let's also mention the fact that several drones can operate simultaneously, which can be very useful in the event of a shipwreck involving several people.
Lim Do-Hwi explains on his Behance page that there are many stories of orcas rescuing people in danger. The interested party considered that the Saver Whale drone is a way of paying homage to them.
Here is a video presentation of the concept made by Yanko Design:
