Gander Robotics offers the Autonomous Rescue Swimmer (ARS), a hand‑throwable underwater drone that autonomously locates and assists man‑overboard victims using sonar and AI detection. Designed for naval, Coast Guard, and commercial maritime operators, the ARS integrates with existing SAR protocols without additional hardware.
Funding
Funding not disclosed
Founders
Product
Problem
Man-overboard incidents require immediate response, but existing rescue protocols often lack rapid, autonomous capabilities, leading to preventable fatalities in naval, Coast Guard, and commercial maritime operations.
Solution
The Autonomous Rescue Swimmer (ARS) is a hand‑throwable autonomous underwater vehicle that can be launched from ships, helicopters, boats, piers, or beaches without any additional infrastructure. Once deployed, the ARS uses onboard sonar and AI‑enabled object detection to locate and identify a victim in the water, then navigates autonomously to provide rescue assistance. The system is built from widely available commercial off‑the‑shelf components, enabling scalable, mass‑production manufacturing and straightforward integration with existing maritime search‑and‑rescue procedures.
Target Audience
Primary customers are naval forces, Coast Guard units, and commercial maritime operators that conduct man‑overboard and search‑and‑rescue missions.
Features
- Hand‑throwable form factor for single‑person deployment from multiple platforms (ship decks, helicopters, small boats, shorelines)
- Autonomous navigation using integrated sonar sensors and AI‑based object detection to locate and confirm victims
- Compact design constructed from commercial off‑the‑shelf parts, allowing low‑cost mass production and minimal specialized tooling
- Seamless compatibility with Navy and Coast Guard man‑overboard and maritime SAR protocols, requiring no additional hardware or software integration
- Waterproof, pressure‑rated hull capable of operating in a range of sea conditions typical for rescue missions