New South Wales (NSW) Fire and Rescue in Australia rescued two hikers who lost their way in Kosciuszko National Park in just 5 hours using an AI-powered drone.
The hikers, stranded in the dark of night, attracted the drone's attention by using the red light of their cell phones. The drone located the missing people thanks to its thermal imaging system and AI software.
Through the drone's loudspeaker, teams communicated with the hikers and directed ground teams to them. The rescue operation went down in history as the first successful mission by the NSW Fire and Rescue using an AI-integrated drone.
NSW Fire and Rescue Inspector and Alpine Area Regional Duty Commander Philip Eberly stated that AI technology has reduced rescue time from days to hours. Eberly said, "Drones allow missing people to be found faster and rescue teams to be exposed to less risk. By shortening search time in mountainous terrain, they help volunteers and the families of the missing reunite more quickly."
Eberly also noted that as technology develops, drones could also be used for tasks such as dropping emergency supplies and provisions remotely.
How did the drone find the missing hikers?
The drone used in the rescue operation was equipped with AI algorithms and advanced sensors. Two of the four cameras on the drone were infrared thermal cameras. The AI analyzed thousands of images from these cameras in real time, detecting moving objects such as people, vehicles, ships, or animals and sending immediate alerts to operators.
After the AI software determined the location of the two missing people, it zoomed in the thermal camera to confirm the detection. This allowed ground teams to be directed straight to the spot.
Experts say this rescue operation shows that AI technologies are entering a more mature adoption phase in the public sector, going beyond chatbots or office automation.
