London Ambulance Service first in UK to deploy underwater drones

London Ambulance Service has become the first ambulance service in the UK to deploy underwater drones, helping paramedics find and rescue people submerged in water.

On average, the Service responds to more than 50 drowning incidents each year. The capital has been hit by several sweltering heatwaves this summer, prompting many Londoners to take to open water to cool off. In response, London Ambulance Service has invested more than £40,000 in four state-of-the-art underwater drones.

The Service's Hazardous Area Response Team (HART) operates the drones and uses separate sonar technology to help locate casualties below the water's surface. Once a casualty has been located, the underwater drone can be deployed to their location, using an arm attachment to bring them to the surface while sending high-quality underwater images back to the operator.

Speed is critical when rescuing someone submerged underwater. Once at the water’s edge, the drones can be deployed in under two minutes. This is particularly important in warm water, where the body uses oxygen faster, reducing the time available for a successful rescue.  

The technology will also help protect paramedics by reducing the need for them to enter dangerous water.

HART Paramedic Christel Oweis said:

"Even for experienced first responders, entering the water to rescue someone can be very challenging. These new drones will help us quickly locate and reach people submerged in the water, while reducing the need for paramedics to undertake potentially dangerous rescue attempts themselves.

"We train to work in dangerous or risky places so we can respond when people need us most. And that includes when people get into difficulty in London's rivers, lakes and waterways.”

All HART paramedics are trained to carry out rescues in fast-moving water, and the drones are now an integral part of that training. Sessions take place in a practice pool or at a white-water rafting venue and involve simulated scenarios using both mannequins and real people.

Director of Resilience & Specialist Assets Natasha Wills said:

“This investment in innovation will save Londoners' lives and we are proud to be the first ambulance service in the country to start using underwater drones.

"But of course, we would prefer not to need to use them. Open water swimming can be very dangerous. We urge people to stay safe, avoid swimming in unsupervised water, and cool off only in locations where it is safe to do so."