A drone to rescue avalanche victims invented… in Caen
Specifically designed for mountain conditions, the drone is equipped with a camera equipped with artificial intelligence, capable of detecting determining elements on the surface such as ski marks or insulated gloves. And, above all, an on-board electronic system will make it possible to signal not only the Avalanche Victim Detectors (DVA) which many mountaineers are now equipped with, but also mobile phones, even buried under the snow.
“We program an intervention perimeter on the drone and it will automatically criss-cross the whole of this area and signal the possible presence of these transceivers or mobile phones which can make it possible to locate and rescue victims. It is therefore a new mode of research that is both exhaustive and above all fast, in a context where, as we know, every minute counts”, explains the young man, at the origin of this innovation, with his start-up called AED system. We know that after twenty minutes, an avalanche victim loses 80% of his chances of survival..
Between 20,000 and 25,000 euros per engine
Compagnie des Alpes, which notably manages 10 of the largest French ski areas, was immediately seduced by this equipment and even announced its intention to equip itself with it as soon as possible. Details that the cost of a device should vary between 20,000 and 25,000 euros per machine, depending on the options. The first should be marketed from 2024, with a potential turnover already displayed at 150 million euros! Suffice to say that the young engineer is already no longer alone in his dear studies… Two of his tutors, who had followed him during his internships at Airbus Helicopters, will accompany him in this incredible industrial adventure, while waiting for other jobs. probable in the coming months.