Emergency Response and Public Safety

Every day the open waters off Virginia's coasts are busy with the traffic of shipping tankers, fishing boats, Navy ships, Coast Guard vessels, and recreational boaters. When emergencies occur, the vast area needing to be covered by first responders is a daunting task. Thanks to high-tech innovations in unmanned systems, search and rescue operations will take less time to locate and provide help where it is needed.

The US Navy is experimenting with unmanned systems to help locate underwater hazards, protect against enemy vessels, and inspect equipment- all while keeping troops out of harm's way and improving efficiency.