The U.S. Navy's Corsair drone boat has successfully rescued the crew of a downed Apache helicopter in the Gulf of Oman. This is the first known instance of a drone boat being used to recover personnel as part of a search and rescue mission.
The Corsair, a 24-foot-long autonomous surface vessel, was operated by the U.S. Navy's Task Force 59 and picked up the Apache crew before transporting them to a helicopter for further transport.
The rescue highlights the potential of uncrewed platforms in maritime search-and-rescue operations, particularly in high-risk areas. The use of drone boats like the Corsair could provide a lower-risk alternative to traditional rescue methods and increase the flexibility and area covered in future rescue missions.
