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Babcock Australasia and Surf Life Saving NSW have joined forces to pursue long-range drone technology in a new memorandum of understanding.
The two parties have signed a memorandum of understanding that seeks to explore opportunities to modernise and enhance coastal operations using beyond visual line of sight remote pilot aircraft systems.
The partnership is envisioned to transform the state’s surf lifesaving operations into a broader national asset for disaster prevention, response, and recovery.
Primary areas of focus will include improving air observation and intelligence-gathering capabilities for search and rescue, environmental monitoring, shark watch, national disaster relief RPAS services and maritime operations that mitigate the need for traditional rotary wing operations.
“A partnership between Babcock Australasia and Surf Life Saving NSW presents a unique opportunity. Combining our complementary skills and capabilities for emergency management response, means we will be able to respond more frequently and with greater levels of service to our customers,” Babcock Australasia chief executive Andrew Cridland said.
“We know how important surveillance along our beaches and waterways can be, particularly in summer, so we welcome the opportunity to partner with AUAVS and utilise our aviation expertise to develop and deliver transformative long-range technologies and services that will help save lives.
“It forms part of Babcock’s commitment to creating a safe and secure world, together.”
Babcock and SLSNSW, via its subsidiary Australian UAV Service, will now jointly evaluate potential long-range technology platforms to meet requirements, with suitable solutions progressed through to testing, initially along the NSW Central Coast.
The AUAVS is the largest provider of coastal UAV surveillance programs in the Southern Hemisphere.
An operational unit under Surf Life Saving NSW, the AUAVS has the experience and capability to operate UAVs for a range of different public safety uses across the breadth of NSW, as well as nationally and internationally.
“By leveraging long-range RPAS technology, the partnership will modernise and extend the capabilities of Surf Life Saving’s coastal and emergency response operations,” SLSNSW chief executive Steve Pearce said.
“Proactive and reactive missions, such as search and rescue, will benefit from greater operational agility, real-time data collection, and increased reach.
“This will substantially improve detection, response times and success rates in both localised and large-scale incidents.”
