Swedish company develops water drone for man overboard searches

A Swedish company, Frost Unmanned, is developing a military water drone that could be adapted to search for people in the water. The idea emerged after a fatal boat accident in Hakefjorden, Bohuslän, where a large-scale search operation was undertaken for two missing individuals. The company's CEO, Kris Moell, a Norwegian with a background as a pilot, stated that their first thought upon hearing about the accident was whether their surface drone could be modified for human searches.

The accident involved a recreational boat that capsized in difficult conditions. The search operation, which included Coast Guard vessels and aircraft, a rescue helicopter, and the Swedish Sea Rescue Society, lasted for 48 hours before the two individuals were found deceased. The rescue helicopter had to suspend its search due to poor visibility and the need for refueling, and the sea rescue operation was temporarily halted. The search was eventually called off when it was determined there was no longer a possibility of finding anyone alive.

Frost Unmanned, based in Stora Höga, is a company with about 20 employees. Initially focused on airborne drones for delivering blood bags to the military, the company has shifted its focus to Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USVs). They have been testing a six-meter-long floating drone, which is slated to participate in a NATO exercise in Portugal in September. While the drone is mainly intended for military purposes, Moell mentioned that contact has been made with the Coast Guard, and the software could be modified within weeks to assist in search and rescue efforts.