Award-winning rescue drone concept

Chinese students have won an international design award with an idea for a rescue drone that could one day save people trapped in high-rise fires. The team of designers from Guangdong Polytechnic Normal University earned a Golden Pin Concept Design Award for their “Net Guard” unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) concept.
The UAV would respond to calls for help, fly to an emergency and then divide into four units to unfurl a “flying net” strong enough to catch adults leaping from a building. The “Net Guard” concept was among 4,640 entries from 24 countries and regions in the 2018 contest and emerged as one of three Best Design winners from a group of 45 finalists.