The race against time to find a submersible that disappeared on its way to the Titanic wreckage site entered a new phase of desperation on Thursday morning as the final hours of oxygen possibly left on board the tiny vessel ticked off the clock. The vessel, named Titan, lost communication with tour operators on Sunday while about 700km (435 miles) south of St John's, Newfoundland, during a voyage to the Titanic shipwreck off the coast of Canada. The 6.7-metre-long OceanGate Expeditions vessel began its descent at 8am (12:00 GMT) on Sunday. Considering that it had a 96-hour air supply from the time it is sealed, according to its specifications, the US Coast Guard estimated oxygen in the submersible would have run out at about 10:00 GMT on Thursday. This can vary depending on a few factors, such as whether the sub still has power in the icy depths.

Predictions about the billions of dollars that drone technology represents are as pervasive as they are extreme. Drone industry experts are currently tracking over 75 firms that offer drone market reports or forecasts of some type, all of which offer various opinions and numbers around what sort of an impact the technology will enable in industries like construction and agriculture as well as maritime and offshore services. It's easy and in some cases justified to get excited about the potential of the technology, but many of these predictions are based on how the drones might be utilized, as opposed to the difference they're actually making. It's why figuring out the ROI of UAVs is a key consideration when it comes to adoption, and it's why the current applications of drones in maritime and offshore services are so important to consider. The use cases of today are what will make some of those billion dollar predictions possible, and makes it essential to see these uses explored in depth and detail at industry events.