Dad invents drone to prevent swimming pool drownings

Dad invents drone to prevent swimming pool drownings

PHOENIX (KPHO/KTVK/CNN) – The summer is synonymous with pool time – and because of that, drownings are a frequent and devastating problem during the season.

But a father in Phoenix, AZ, hopes to make a difference with his new invention.

According to the Phoenix Fire Department, so far this year there have been six drowning deaths and 27 calls to authorities of possible drownings in Phoenix alone.

Lee Kambar was so saddened by those statistics he decided to act.

“The light bulb went off in my head – there’s a problem. Let’s find a solution for it,” Kambar said.

And so Kambar created “Morningstar,” a drone device that acts like an extra set of eyes.

“It sits in the middle of your pool and floats around. It has dual cameras – top and bottom cameras – that rotate 360 degrees,” Kambar said.

The drone works by utilizing motion detection and facial recognition technology. One of its cameras sits above the water to monitor the pool’s surroundings. The second camera is mounted underwater.

The drone sends two notifications to parents: one when kids approach the pool, and another when someone or something has gone into the water.

From there, you can push “emergency contact” and dispatch emergency services to the address where the Morningstar drone resides.

“We’ve been saying for years as a fire department that every second counts in these situations,” said Capt. Jack Van Hook with the Phoenix Fire Department.

Phoenix Fire doesn’t endorse any specific products, and said nothing can substitute constant supervision of children. It does, however, advocate for all types of safety barriers.

Kambar said he hopes his device can give first responders those extra critical seconds that could make the difference in saving a life. He expects the device to hit markets by the end of the year.

And the price tag? Less than $1,000.

 

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Story as written by Hawaii News Now

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