title: Drones may be used to save lives in out of hospital cardiac arrest due to drowning.
abstract: Drowning leading to out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) and death is a major public health concern. Submersion with duration of less than 10min is associated with favorable neurological outcome and nearby bystanders play a considerable role in rescue and resuscitation. Drones can provide a visual overview of an accident scene, their potential as lifesaving tools in drowning has not been evaluated.
  
  
  
  The aim of this simulation study was to evaluate the efficiency of a drone for providing earlier location of a submerged possible drowning victim in comparison with standard procedure.
  
  
  
  This randomized simulation study used a submerged manikin placed in a shallow (<2m) 100×100-m area at Tylösand beach, Sweden. A search party of 14 surf-lifeguards (control) was compared to a drone transmitting video to a tablet (intervention). Time from start to contact with the manikin was the primary endpoint.
  
  
  
  Twenty searches were performed in total, 10 for each group. The median time from start to contact with the manikin was 4:34min (IQR 2:56-7:48) for the search party (control) and 0:47min (IQR 0:38-0:58) for the drone-system (intervention) respectively (p<0.001). The median time saved by using the drone was 3:38min (IQR 2:02-6:38).
  
  
  
  A drone transmitting live video to a tablet is feasible, time saving in comparison to traditional search parties and may be used for providing earlier location of submerged victims at a beach. Drone search can possibly contribute to earlier onset of CPR in drowning victims.
authors.affiliation: Karolinska Institutet, Department of Medicine, Center for Resuscitation Science, Stockholm, Sweden. Electronic address: Andreas.claesson@ki.se.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Claesson
authors.affiliation: Karolinska Institutet, Department of Medicine, Center for Resuscitation Science, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Svensson
authors.affiliation: Karolinska Institutet, Department of Medicine, Center for Resuscitation Science, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nordberg
authors.affiliation: Karolinska Institutet, Department of Medicine, Center for Resuscitation Science, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ringh
authors.affiliation: Karolinska Institutet, Department of Medicine, Center for Resuscitation Science, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rosenqvist
authors.affiliation: Karolinska Institutet, Department of Medicine, Center for Resuscitation Science, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Djarv
authors.affiliation: Swedish Maritime Administration, Rescue Helicopter Unit, Göteborg Sweden.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Samuelsson
authors.affiliation: Helicopter Emergency Medical Services, Jämtland Härjedalen Region, Sweden.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Hernborg
authors.affiliation: Swedish Lifesaving Society, Surf Lifesaving Club Tylösand, Sweden.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dahlbom
authors.affiliation: Swedish Lifesaving Society, Surf Lifesaving Club Tylösand, Sweden.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jansson
authors.affiliation: Karolinska Institutet, Department of Medicine, Center for Resuscitation Science, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hollenberg
mesh_terms: D000401:Aircraft; D016887:Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation; D003198:Computer Simulation; D004332:Drowning; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000379:methods*; D040362:Geographic Information Systems / Q000295:instrumentation*; D006801:Humans; D008348:Manikins; D063731:Mobile Applications; D058687:Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011897:Random Allocation; D013997:Time Factors
keywords: Drone; Drowning; OHCA; Search-and-rescue; UAV