London Ambulance Service deploys underwater drones to support safer water rescues

London Ambulance Service has become the first UK ambulance service to deploy underwater drones, giving specialist paramedics another way to reach submerged casualties while reducing their exposure to dangerous water.

Announced on 19 August 2026, the investment of more than £40,000 has provided four drones for the service’s Hazardous Area Response Team (HART). London Ambulance Service reports attending more than 50 drowning incidents each year. The equipment is intended to support casualty searches and rescue attempts across the capital’s waterways.

How the drones work

HART operators use separate sonar equipment to help locate a casualty beneath the surface. They can then send the drone to that location, receiving underwater images as it approaches. An arm attachment can assist in bringing the casualty to the surface.

The service says the drones can be deployed in under two minutes once the team reaches the water’s edge. That distinction matters: this is an equipment deployment time, rather than a promise that a casualty will be located and rescued within two minutes.

Protecting the people carrying out the rescue

Resuscitation Council UK’s 2025 guidance places rescuer safety at the centre of the response to drowning. Responders should use the safest available rescue technique and equipment they are trained to operate.

The potential benefit of this technology is clear. If a casualty can be reached remotely, there may be less need to expose a responder to the same environment that has already placed the patient in danger.

London Ambulance Service has incorporated the drones into HART training, including simulated rescues in pools and at a white-water rafting venue.

HART already provides specialist care in environments that standard ambulance crews may be unable to access safely. Its work includes water incidents, confined spaces, unstable structures and hazardous materials, alongside other emergency services and specialist responders.

For EMSUK, the strongest argument for this investment is the opportunity to improve access while controlling responder risk. Its value should ultimately be judged by what happens during real incidents: how quickly casualties are reached, whether rescuer exposure falls, and whether patient outcomes improve.

What this means for frontline crews

For crews arriving before specialist resources, the priority remains a safe, coordinated response. Resuscitation Council UK explicitly advises people without water-rescue training against entering the water. An ambulance uniform does not remove that risk.

Useful preparation for local teams includes discussing:

• How to request specialist water-rescue resources.
• How to communicate the casualty’s last known position and available access points.
• Where rescued casualties can be received and treated safely.
• How to prepare resuscitation equipment while the rescue is taking place.

These are practical discussion points for training and local planning. Any operational response must remain within the crew’s competence and service procedures.

Rescue creates the opportunity for treatment

Once a casualty has been recovered, prompt assessment and treatment remain essential.

Resuscitation Council UK’s 2025 first-aid guidance recommends five initial rescue breaths for a person recovered from drowning who is unresponsive and not breathing, followed by standard CPR. Where an AED is available, the chest should be dried quickly before applying the pads and following its instructions.

For ambulance clinicians, this should prompt a review of current drowning guidance, resuscitation skills and local clinical procedures. The ability to reach someone sooner is valuable because it creates an earlier opportunity to deliver care.

A promising development that needs evaluation

The announcement describes an operational capability and its intended benefits. It does not provide comparative patient-outcome data demonstrating improved survival.

That is a reason to evaluate the equipment properly. Future reporting should examine successful deployments, time to casualty contact, equipment limitations and the effect on responder safety.

Technology earns its place in prehospital care when it helps teams deliver better care safely. Underwater drones offer a promising opportunity to do that.

References

• London Ambulance Service NHS Trust (2026) London Ambulance Service first in UK to deploy underwater drones. 19 August. Available at: London Ambulance Service (Accessed: 12 October 2026).
• London Ambulance Service NHS Trust (n.d.) Hazardous Area Response Team. Available at: London Ambulance Service (Accessed: 12 October 2026).
• Resuscitation Council UK (2025a) First aid guidelines. Available at: Resuscitation Council UK (Accessed: 12 October 2026).
• Resuscitation Council UK (2025b) Special circumstances guidelines. Available at: Resuscitation Council UK (Accessed: 12 October 2026).