The Hall County Marine Rescue Team will be taking a step into the future by utilizing an underwater remotely operated vehicle (ROV) for search and rescue missions.
The ROV will be put to use on Lake Lanier at the start of summer 2023. The ROV hosts many capabilities, including features such as buoyant robotic arms, sonar, navigation and other search and recovery tools. Underwater ROVs are well suited for search and rescue operations, as well as salvage missions. According to a press release by the Hall County Fire Rescue Department, the vehicles have the ability to be quickly deployed and carry heavier payloads than human divers.
Additionally, the underwater drones can reduce the risk to human divers in contaminated water, as well as dark water environments. Deployment of the ROV is completed in three minutes or less, which is much quicker than it takes for rescue divers to prepare. It can also dive to depths of 305 meters and grasp onto drowning victims with a robotic arm, towing them to the surface.
The ROV is equipped with sonar navigation and a dual mode HD camera that provides a live feed to the video operator.
While the mission of the Marine Rescue Team will be changing slightly due to the new technology, they will still maintain a presence patrolling Lake Lanier on the weekends between Memorial Day and Labor Day every year.
You can find out more by visiting the Hall County government website.
