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This year’s FIRST LEGO League Challenge theme, “Submerged,” inspired us to explore critical challenges facing our oceans. We focused on real-world problems such as:

• The difficulty of monitoring endangered species in vast marine environments
• Limited accessibility to deeper parts of the ocean
• High operational costs of oceanographic equipment
• Human safety in water, especially relating to drowning incidents

As a team, we brainstormed numerous innovative ideas to tackle these issues. Some of our initial proposals included automatic tsunami barriers and biodegradable fishing nets. After thoughtful discussions and analysis, we ultimately chose to pursue an idea that directly addresses human safety in water—an autonomous drone system designed to detect and help prevent drownings.

Meet A.I.D.R.O.Ne

A.I.D.R.O.Ne stands for Artificial Intelligence Drone for Rescue and Ocean Needs. It’s an autonomous AI-powered drone that patrols beaches and coastal areas, scanning for signs of drowning using machine learning algorithms trained on real-life data. When a person is detected to be at high risk of drowning, the drone immediately positions itself directly above the individual and transmits a live video feed and GPS coordinates to the nearest lifeguards for fast response.

Our goal is to reduce deaths caused by drowning by at least two-thirds, and eventually by up to 90%, by enhancing real-time awareness and early intervention.

From Prototype to Advanced System

For our proof-of-concept, we initially used a DJI Tello drone. This model provided only a frontal 720p camera feed, which limited our downward field of view. To overcome this, we 3D-printed a custom clip and added a mirror to redirect the camera’s line of sight downward toward the water.

Now, we’ve taken a major step forward.

We’ve upgraded to a larger, custom-built drone equipped with a high-resolution camera and an onboard Raspberry Pi. This setup allows the drone to run AI models directly on the device, eliminating the need for constant communication with an external computer. This upgrade significantly increases processing speed, reduces latency, and makes the drone much more independent and efficient in real-world conditions.

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