Water drones with GPS to aid rescue ops in Gangasagar
Times of India | 7 January 2026
Gangasagar (South 24 Parganas): The South 24 Parganas district administration will deploy a remote-controlled lifebuoy, also known as a water drone, at Gangasagar 2026 as part of rescue operations. The Sagar Mela starts on Thursday.
A water drone is a self-propelled flotation device that identifies a person in distress in water and reaches the person quickly using a GPS navigation system.
"This is the first time that such a device is kept ready for use for rescue operations at Gangasagar Mela. Drills are being conducted," said a senior official of the South 24 Parganas administration.
The water drone that will be deployed will have a range of 1 km and can achieve a maximum speed of 7 metres per second, enabling it to reach an identified object in the water significantly faster than a swimmer.
Officials said that the drone has a high towing capacity, capable of towing up to 1,000 kg in the water, allowing it to assist multiple survivors or life rafts in emergency requirements.
The device has an exclusive feature of auto-righting capability. "In just two seconds, the drone recovers from being flipped over, ensuring continuous operation in rough conditions," said an official. He added that the advanced remote controller includes a screen displaying a 1080p HD video feed from an onboard camera, helping rescuers to navigate precisely. "The device uses GPS for navigation and automatically returns to its launch point if the signal is lost or the battery drops below 15%," said an