Drones are becoming more and more popular. These unmanned aerial vehicles make it possible to reach areas that are difficult to access and explore them from a unique perspective. However, its use can extend beyond cinematic images. Recently, the pilot of one of these devices captured the moment in which a shark was stalking a diver and managed to call the emergency services in time.
According to MailOnline, the event occurred last Sunday at Bondi Beach, one of the most iconic beaches in Australia. It was a sunny day, ideal to enjoy the view that the crystal-clear waters gave away. Matt Woods, a 36-year-old drone pilot, sitting from the balcony of his apartment, launched his DJI Mavic 2 Zoom into the ocean to capture some interesting images, but something surprised him.
The device was entering the ocean when aerial images reaching Woods' Smart Controller revealed an unexpected situation. A diver was fighting to keep a threatening shark at bay . “I was very concerned about the diver, as the shark looked angry and aggressive,” the drone pilot told the aforementioned British media outlet.
The drone pilot called emergencies on time
Fortunately, Woods was able to call 911. While guiding rescuers to the danger zone, the diver tried to defend himself with his harpoon. At one point, as you can see in the video, the shark fought the diver's float.
The diver managed to climb the rocks of a reef and the lifeguards, who arrived 30 minutes after the call, managed to get him out of that place. “I was quite worried about the diver. I had never seen anything like this before, only whales,” acknowledges the drone pilot.
Credit: Wikipedia According to the images, the shark would have been a mako, also known as a shortfin mako. It is a species of the Lamnidae family that can measure up to four meters. It has a pointed, conical snout and large teeth. In addition, it stands out for its great strength and speed, which is why it is considered one of the fastest animals in the ocean.
While the beginnings of modern drones date back to the mid-1970s, their popularity with the public exploded in recent years. These UAVs were for a long time unique to the military. Now they are available to almost everyone with prices ranging from $ 299, as is the case of the DJI Mavic Mini SE , to more than $ 3,000 for the most advanced.
