METHOD OF CONDUCTING RESCUE OPERATIONS IN SEA Russian patent published in 2011 - IPC B63C9/00 B64C9/02 G01S5/18 A62B99/00 

FIELD: transport.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to rescue operations in heavy weather and without direct communication with wreckers. Proposed method consists in sending pilotless helicopter for search of people in distress by passive scanning of water area in various wavelength ranges, preferably, in infrared and centimetre ranges. Flight is performed in controlled mode while, after detection of people in distress, helicopter is turned into hovering to watch people motion and periodically determine helicopter coordinates to direct wreckers to these coordinates. Helicopter controlled flight is performed along spiral trajectory, primarily, Archimedean spiral. Scanning is performed on both sides of flight direction, on setting spiral pitch not exceeding half the width of scanning range. People are detected by revealing local temperature contrasts on scanned surface, preferably, in infrared and centimetre ranges. Helicopter spiral trajectory is, then terminated to direct helicopter in zone of detected contrasts. Temperature spot-like contrast detected, acoustic or optical contact is established. If not, helicopter is sent back to initial point to resume search.

EFFECT: higher efficiency of rescue operations.

4 cl, 3 dwg