Drones could save lives of refugees trying to reach Europe
A start-up in the Netherlands is developing a rescue drone that could save the lives of refugees lost at sea.
Inspired by the refugee crisis, the ESA-based Avy company has been working on robust, long-duration drones capable of detecting people in distress and, if necessary, dropping life jackets, life buoys, food and medicine.
“We all read the papers and realised how dire the situation was. We realised that we had to do something about the situation. We said to each other: You know what? We’re going to develop a rescue drone which is able to take off from a boat, or the shore, fly to the rescue zone, patrol and deliver aid. So we can drom medicine, food, water, or even a rescue buoy right next to the boat that is in distress,” the people behind the Avy rescue drone say.
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The Avy company is currently based at ESA’s Business Incubation Centre in Noordwijk, receiving technical and business advice.
Some 3,500 refugees died during their attempt to cross the Mediterranean Sea in old, overcrowded boats last year.
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