Is this project an undergraduate, graduate, or faculty project?
Graduate
Project Type
individual
Campus
Daytona Beach
Authors' Class Standing
Graduate Student
Lead Presenter's Name
Brian Walcutt
Faculty Mentor Name
Dr. Dahai Liu
Abstract
A major gap exists in ocean rescue operations for drowning victim location and recovery when a bather fully submerges below the waterline. Among open water life-guarding this is known as a Code-X scenario. The current response procedure is a series of diving searches done by the initial responding lifeguard and later by a lifeguard search team, and if available, helicopter. By the time a team is dispatched and searching the operation is likely a body recovery and not a victim recovery. This is due to the critical time window for removing the victim from the water.
Currently Volusia County Beach Safety utilizes EMT certified professionals to respond as backup in vehicles that patrol the beach to all ocean rescue emergencies. If these were outfitted with live video capable drones to aid in the search of a Code-X emergency the likelihood of victim location and survivability could be dramatically increased. This research project aims to address the potential lifesaving advantage of using drones to locate submerged drowning victims in the initial critical minutes of the emergency.
The experiment design consists of using a lifelike water dummy which, when submerged 200 yards from waters edge in front of a lifeguard tower, will be responded on to simulate the Code-X. Once the responding lifeguard initiates the Code-X signal a drone will be deployed to aid in the search of the dummy, or in the control group, the drone will simply record the run. Future resulting research will aid in justifying use of drones in this specific ocean rescue operational procedure.
Did this research project receive funding support (Spark, SURF, Research Abroad, Student Internal Grants, Collaborative, Climbing, or Ignite Grants) from the Office of Undergraduate Research?
Yes, Spark Grant
Drone Augmentation of Open Water Code-X Submerged Drowning Victim Recovery
A major gap exists in ocean rescue operations for drowning victim location and recovery when a bather fully submerges below the waterline. Among open water life-guarding this is known as a Code-X scenario. The current response procedure is a series of diving searches done by the initial responding lifeguard and later by a lifeguard search team, and if available, helicopter. By the time a team is dispatched and searching the operation is likely a body recovery and not a victim recovery. This is due to the critical time window for removing the victim from the water.
Currently Volusia County Beach Safety utilizes EMT certified professionals to respond as backup in vehicles that patrol the beach to all ocean rescue emergencies. If these were outfitted with live video capable drones to aid in the search of a Code-X emergency the likelihood of victim location and survivability could be dramatically increased. This research project aims to address the potential lifesaving advantage of using drones to locate submerged drowning victims in the initial critical minutes of the emergency.
The experiment design consists of using a lifelike water dummy which, when submerged 200 yards from waters edge in front of a lifeguard tower, will be responded on to simulate the Code-X. Once the responding lifeguard initiates the Code-X signal a drone will be deployed to aid in the search of the dummy, or in the control group, the drone will simply record the run. Future resulting research will aid in justifying use of drones in this specific ocean rescue operational procedure.