– If we manage to bring the right resources, as this drone will be in a case where a person has drowned and is at a depth of 10 meters, then we will arrive quickly, says rescuer Stig Aleksander Olsen. He is stationed in the Air Ambulance in Kirkenes and in Arendal. Part of his job is to save people who are drowning. But in East Finnmark, there is no rescue diving service that can assist the Air Ambulance in such situations. The grab arm on the underwater drone must be able to pick up infants, children and adults from the water. Therefore, he started a project together with Arctic Dive in Kirkenes in September 2021 to see if they could find a solution. And they did: an underwater drone with a grab arm. – If you look at East Finnmark, this can be potentially life-saving. I see this as a very important project and something that will benefit the patients where we do not get there by jumping into the water ourselves, Olsen says. Sør-Varanger Avis first wrote about the underwater drone with the specially made grip claw. Rescuer Stig Aleksander Olsen in the Air Ambulance aims to have the drone ready for use in mid-July. Photo: Fredrik Naumann / Felix Features – This is the future The Air Ambulance, together with Arctic Dive, recently carried out a test with the prototype. Olsen was pleasantly surprised at how well the gripper arm worked. – It was very positive. The requirements I set were met, both in terms of dry training over water and training under water, he says. The rescuer is excited about how it will go when the drone is tested in a real situation where it is about saving lives. The grab arm on the underwater drone gave many good answers on the first test round, says rescuer Olsen. Photo: Stig Aleksander Olsen / Luftambulansen – Had the drone been ready a year ago, we would have had four or five cases where we would have needed the underwater drone, Olsen says. In addition, he also believes it will be possible for more Air Ambulance bases to get such drones. – This is the future. It is very easy to use and transport. There is one person and one box with the drone in it, he says. The underwater drone with gripper arm is being tested in the sea in Kirkenes. Collaboration project The man behind the design of the gripper arm is mechanical engineer Bjørn Ballo in Arctic Dive. He says that the response from the Air Ambulance to his invention has been positive. – They have been very enthusiastic and are very happy with the solution. In addition, the fire service is involved. It is they who will have it stationed and have the operator who joins the air ambulance helicopter when needed, Ballo says. Bjørn Ballo, the man who designed the grip claw, is impressed by what the Arctic Dive and the Air Ambulance have achieved in Kirkenes. Photo: Arctic Dive Arctic Dive has received help from technology and the industrial subject line at Kirkenes upper secondary school. After Ballo had finished drawing the first model, the students started producing the grip claw. – They have machined the parts needed for the claw. It is done with computer-controlled milling equipment as very advanced, says Ballo. The gripper arm on the underwater drone is tested on human arm. Can make a difference Rescue operations specialist in the Rescue Company, Rikard Bjørklund, thinks that the area of use for the underwater drone will be large when searching for and retrieving people or objects. – Each individual event is different in terms of depth and location. In many cases where there is no diving readiness, this can make a difference, he says. Bjørklund also adds that even if there is diving readiness, one can avoid taking into account air and depth – which are often limitations for divers. Rikard Bjørklund in the Rescue Company says that the personnel who operate the drone have a short response time and are drilled for use. Photo: Redningsselskap The number of drownings per year does not decrease In Norway, it is Redningsselskap that keeps statistics on drownings. According to Tanja Krangnes, head of drowning prevention at the Rescue Company, an average of 93 people die in Norway as a result of drowning. – It’s 93 for many. Unfortunately, we have not seen any major decline in the number of accidents in recent years, she says. Krangsnes says that the Rescue Society and other voluntary organizations that work with drowning want the Storting to adopt a zero vision for drowning, followed by a national action plan and funds for measures. – After the Storting adopted a zero vision for seriously injured and killed in traffic in 2002, there has been a sharp decline in fatal accidents on the road, Krangnes says. Tanja Krangnes in the Rescue Company calls for an initiative from the Storting to prevent drowning accidents. Photo: The rescue company
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Specially designed gripper arm will save people who drown – news Troms and Finnmark
