The Indian Naval Academy unveiled an indigenously built twin-drone system for maritime Search and Rescue (SAR) operations on 27 October 2026. The system combines a quadcopter that searches for people in the water with a hexacopter that carries and releases a lifebuoy.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles in Search and Rescue
An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is an aircraft operated without a pilot on board. UAVs can carry sensors and cameras to observe areas that may be difficult for rescue teams to search directly. In the Academy’s system, a quadcopter uses 2K optical and thermal cameras to scan live video feeds. An artificial intelligence model named YOLO identifies potential persons in the water. YOLO is commonly expanded as “You Only Look Once” and refers to a family of real-time object-detection models. Maritime SAR involves locating and assisting people in distress at sea. The International Convention on Maritime Search and Rescue was adopted in 1979 and entered into force in 1985. The International Maritime Organization is the United Nations specialised agency responsible for maritime safety and security.
Drone Design and Operating Specifications
The two UAVs communicate through long-range radio-frequency (RF) communication. After the quadcopter flags a potential person, the hexacopter uses GPS to fly to the location and release a lifebuoy. The final decision to proceed remains under operator control. The quadcopter has a flight time of 45 minutes, a payload capacity of 0.5 kg and a maximum speed of 50 km/h. The hexacopter has a flight time of 25 minutes, a payload capacity of 2.5 kg and a maximum speed of 40 km/h. Each drone has an operating radius of 10 km. Midshipman Sudhanshu Tanwar was among the Indian Naval Academy developers.
Maritime Search and Rescue: Exam Facts
Important Facts for Exams
- The International Convention on Maritime Search and Rescue was adopted in 1979 and entered into force in 1985.
- The International Maritime Organization is a specialised agency of the United Nations.
- YOLO is an object-detection model used to identify objects in images or video.
- GPS is a satellite-based navigation system operated by the United States Space Force.
The system’s two UAVs are indigenously built by the Indian Naval Academy team and are designed for maritime SAR operations. The search drone uses optical and thermal cameras, while the delivery drone carries a lifebuoy.</final
