Dolphin Remote Controlled Lifebuoy

OceanAlpha has just released the Dolphin 1 – a remote controlled life buoy, that looks like a very promising development in the aquatic drone department. Designed to serve as an unmanned surface rescue vehicle, it is easily operated via remote control, with a run time of almost 30 minutes and top speeds of 10mph. With enough buoyancy to support two people, this could be a big breakthrough in the facilitation of crew overboard maneuvers and dockside rescues.

Designed to be highly visible over long distances and in bad weather, the Dolphin 1 is bright orange and mounted with two high penetration flashing fog lights. The propeller is wrapped by a metal shell, designed to protect the user and keep the propellers from getting entangled with water plants and debris. At (L)115 cm *(W)83 cm *(H)21 cm, the unit may be a bit too large for smaller yachts, but not too much for bigger boats and or shoreside positions.

While we have not yet had the opportunity to test the Dolphin 1 ourselves, we are excited by its potential and expect to see many similar products hit the market soon.