CANBERRA – A flying drone has dropped a flotation device to two teens caught in a riptide in heavy seas off the Australian coast in what officials describe as a world-first rescue. Monty Greenslade and Gabe Vidler got into trouble on Thursday at Lennox Head, 750 kilometers (470 miles) north of Sydney. They were about a kilometer (0.6 mile) from lifeguards who were about to start training with the new drones, equipped with a camera, rescue gear and six rotors. After a friend raised the alert, lifeguard Jai Sheridan said he piloted the drone to the swimmers and dropped a rescue pod minutes faster than lifeguards could have reached the pair by conventional means. "I was able to launch it, fly it to the location, and drop the pod all in about one to two minutes. On a normal day, that would have taken our lifeguards a few minutes longer to reach the members of the public," Sheridan said in a statement.

Two teenage boys, struggling to make their way back to shore, were saved by a drone in Australia on Wednesday, in what officials say is a first-of-its-kind rescue mission by an unmanned aircraft -- one captured by the drone's camera and later broadcast by Arab News and other outlets. A beachgoer caught a glimpse of the distressed swimmers, 15 and 17, who were fighting dangerous waves off Australia's Far North Coast in New South Wales. He alerted lifeguards, who happened to be in the middle of a drone training session, learning how the unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) work. Lifeguard supervisor Jai Sheridan got the call and piloted the drone, dubbed "Little Ripper," toward the swimmers, about 2,300 feet over the ocean. Within 70 seconds the drone was hovering over the boys and had dropped a self-inflating rescue pod into the water.

For those doubting the usefulness of drones, take a look at this incredible rescue, a world-first, in Australia. Nathan Rousseau Smith (@FantasticMrNate) shows us. A link has been posted to your Facebook feed. For those doubting the usefulness of drones, take a look at this incredible rescue, a world-first, in Australia. Nathan Rousseau Smith (@FantasticMrNate) shows us.

Two teenage boys sucked out to sea by a rip tide have been saved from drowning by a in a world-first rescue in Australia. Monty Greenslade, 16 and Gabe Vidler, 17, were spotted struggling in rough surf off Lennox Head, New South Wales, at 10.30am AEST today by two teen girls. The pair were trapped amid 10ft waves and not easily accessible by boat, but were saved after a drone flew out and dropped an inflatable for them to cling on to. Footage shows the remote controlled aircraft fly above the teenagers before dropping an inflatable device which landed almost within arm's reach. Within 35 seconds of take-off the float had been dropped down to the boys, who hung on as waves pushed them back to shore where lifeguards took over.

The Telegraph of Macon reported Tuesday that Georgia Department of Corrections Commissioner Gregory Dozier told lawmakers that he will be asking them to support a bill that stipulates that it's illegal for a drone to cross a prison's airspace.

Someday, future sentient artificial intelligence (AI) systems may reflect on their early indentured servitude for the human military-industrial complex with little to no nostalgia. But we'll worry about that when the day comes. For now, let's continue writing algorithms that conscript machine intelligence into terrorist bombings and let the chips fall where they may. The most recent disclosure comes directly from the Pentagon, where after only 8 months of development a small team of intel analysts has effectively deployed an AI into the battlefield in control of weaponized systems to hunt for terrorists. We're creating viewer supported news. The military minds in charge of this new form of warfare feel it is nothing less than the future of armed conflicts.

Stunning drone footage has revealed the incredible progress on the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope – a massive instrument that will one day produce the'deepest, widest image of the universe' ever captured. Construction on the telescope in Chile began in 2015, with plans for it to begin operations around 2022. Now, nearly three years later, the new video shows how the enormous mountaintop facility has begun to take shape. Stunning drone footage has revealed the incredible progress on the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope – a massive instrument that will one day produce the'deepest, widest image of the universe' ever captured The video, published this week by the LSST team, was submitted by Assembly Integration Verification Manager Jacques Sebag, who captured the amazing view using a drone. At the time, the team was working with subcontractor Besalco to move the facility's mobile roof to a flatter area on the north side of the building.

While much has been written about the impact of drones and artificial intelligence in P/C insurance over the last few years, the first real test of these emerging technologies didn't occur until the 2017 hurricane season. After Hurricane Irma battered Florida, reinsurers and insurers of all sizes (small, mid-sized and top ten) looked to facilitate their claims processing through the use of drones and artificial intelligence. One of the most critical factors in post-catastrophe claims processing is capturing and documenting the situation on the ground. Traditionally, this is done using on-the-ground claims adjusters and is supplemented by imagery captured from airplanes or satellites. Using Drones for Hurricane Irma Damage Assessment One of the benefits of drones is that they can quickly and safely capture many high-resolution photos after catastrophes.

A pilot has flown a drone into a crane, according to an air-accident report. The pilot had planned the drone flight in Kent with four reference points, all at 400ft above ground level - higher than three existing cranes on the site. But another crane was erected after his site safety visit, and on take-off the drone crashed into the jib of the new structure, damaging the unmanned craft. The crash, in June last year, is listed in the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) update this month. The incident report was picked up by The Register.

Britain's first passenger drone company claims it has found the answer to the dismal morning commute. Entrepreneur Martin Warner, 46, claims his new ultra-sleek drone will be able to transport commuters from Charing Cross to Heathrow in just 12 minutes. Scheduled for unveiling this Spring, the drone will be the first in the world to carry passengers - and could revolutionise city commutes. Britain's first passenger drone company claims it has found the answer to the dismal morning commute. Entrepreneur Martin Warner, 46, claims his new drone (artist's impression) will be able to transport commuters from Charing Cross to Heathrow in just 12 minutes Autonomous Flight is set to unveil Y6S, a two-seater electric vertical take-off and landing vehicle (VTOL), in London in March.