Surveillance and Safety

 

Marine Life Surveillance

Since 2017, AUAVS has been engaged by the Department of Primary Industries (DPI) through the NSW Government Shark Management Strategy to provide marine life surveillance with the aim of improving public safety.

AUAVS currently conducts regular patrol flights of 50 beaches across NSW during the school holiday periods, including popular tourist destinations on the Far North and Far South Coast of NSW and in the Greater Sydney region.

Key points of this program:

  • Every coastal LGA along the NSW coastline has at least one UAV patrol location;
  • AUAVS provides employment opportunities for regional areas through this contract;
  • All NSW Government contracted UAVs are fitted with a speaker attachment for live and pre-recorded messaging to beach users;
  • AUAVS works alongside 50 SLSCs to provide them with a UAV for surveillance use on weekends between holiday periods.
WSL Newcastle (2)

Event Water Safety – Surfing & Sporting Events

Surf Life Saving NSW’s is committed to ensuring that athletes competing in their events are afforded the highest possible level of safety. UAVs offer an added aerial dimension to safety surveillance and a dynamic capability to respond to any incidents that might arise. The Australian UAV Service (AUAVS) is engaged as part of the Event Water Safety Team to provide specialist pilots to support coastal safety at these events.

This requires working in cooperation with a team of professional lifeguards to maintain a presence both on the water, in the air and on the beach. The AUAVS forms the ‘Aerial Patrol’ element of the Water Safety Team. Our role is to provide advance notification and intelligence on the presence of any hazardous marine life within the vicinity of the athletes and monitor general safety to allow direct and efficient response as required.

Organisations that AUAVS has provided aerial surveillance for include:

  • World Surf League
  • Surfing Australia
  • Surfing NSW
  • Cole Classic Manly Beach
  • The Big Swim Whale Beach
  • Australian Surf Rower’s League
  • SLSNSW State Championships
  • SLSNSW Country Championships
  • SLSNSW IRB Series
  • SLSNSW Community Education