A Product Design and Technology student at the U.K.'s Loughborough University has developed a prototype drone system that issues buoyancy aids to swimmers in distress.

The system, dubbed SERVITA, which was created by Loughborough University student Dominic Leatherland, is a small, compact drone that flies over bodies of water in search of individuals, deploying an inflatable flotation device when a distressed swimmer is detected. Once the buoyancy aid hits the water, it automatically inflates.

Source: Loughborough University

The drone, according to Leatherland, features a global positioning system (GPS), a live-feed camera and two servo mechanisms. Additionally, SERVITA has already undergone turbulence and velocity simulations, and Leatherland intends to test the drone in open waters.

For more information on the SERVITA drone system, watch the accompanying video that appears courtesy of Loughborough University.