Latino FoxNews reports that the drone operation will be chiefly focused on the famous Copacabana beach in Rio during the southern hemisphere’s summer season, which began last week. Operators will use drone footage to identify the exact location of swimmers in trouble, and the drone’s flotation device can be dropped so “the possible victim can stay on the surface of the water until lifeguards arrive,” the commander of the Copacabana Maritime Association, Lt. Col. Fernando Santos, said in a statement released Tuesday by the Rio de Janeiro state government.
Lifesaving crews are also equipped with motorcycles and life rafts, a well as with boats and aircraft; drone operators will join paramedics who also patrol the beaches to protect swimmers.
Pilots were required to pass a 240-hour training course to operate the drones, the head of the fire department’s Unmanned Aircraft Coordination Unit, Lt. Col. Rodrigo Bastos, said in the government statement. “They’re taught disciplines like data transmission, equipment recovery and flight security among others. The course is based on three basic points: Safety, equipment maintenance and training.”
Brazil’s government agencies have used drones before, most notably by introducing a fleet of DJI camera drones last summer to survey areas of farmland and industrial use in order to identify possible labor infractions, in the country’s continuing efforts to eliminate slave labor from its economy.
Fusion.net reported earlier this year that Brazil is becoming a major player in the drone industry, as loose regulations and a robust government and military market make them an appealing home for drone technology companies:
… Brazil and its counterparts offer a highly unregulated airspace to companies fleeing the strict regulations of the American FAA. Brazil’s deregulated airspace, the absence of a rigorous permit system, significantly lowers research and development costs for foreign UAV producers. By investing in homegrown industry, licensing technology, and establishing local subsidiaries, foreign manufacturers are transforming the Brazil into a regional base of drone production for the world market.
Miriam McNabb is the Editor-in-Chief of DRONELIFE and CEO of JobForDrones, a professional drone services marketplace, and a fascinated observer of the emerging drone industry and the regulatory environment for drones. Miriam has penned over 3,000 articles focused on the commercial drone space and is an international speaker and recognized figure in the industry. Miriam has a degree from the University of Chicago and over 20 years of experience in high tech sales and marketing for new technologies.
For drone industry consulting or writing, Email Miriam.
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