A drone has played a lifesaving role in the rescue of a seriously injured rock fisherman reported missing after falling off a cliff at Eden.
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The Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) crew from Eden was alerted to two men - one seriously injured - stuck down a 50-metre rocky cliff face near The Lookout on the morning of April 2.
A fisherman had fallen down the cliff face, severely breaking his leg. His friend had then climbed down to help and also become stuck.
The specialised drone hovered 100 metres above the water and was able to pin-pointed the pair, using the drone's thermal imaging camera.
With the stranded fishermen now located, the rescue was not over for FRNSW.
The rescuers were suddenly faced with another challenge.
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They quickly realised the fishermen could not speak English and were unable to outline the injured man's condition.
Eden FRNSW Captain Zlatko Nemec then hatched a unique idea with NSW Ambulance paramedics.
They engaged an Ambulance service interpreter in Sydney to record a series of Chinese-language audio messages.
Around 540-kilometres away, the instructions and messages of reassurance were then uploaded to the drone, which flew to the rock ledge.
The messages were played to the distraught anglers over the drone's loudspeaker and the fishermen responded with hand signals, captured by the RPAS camera system and relayed to the drone operator and Rescue teams via a visual display screen.
A Volunteer Rescue Association (VRA) vertical recovery team then abseiled down the cliff to stabilise the injured man, who was later airlifted by a Canberra Rescue helicopter and road ambulance to Bega Hospital.
"The technology was a god send," Mr Nemec said.
"These drones are not only saving lives, they're also reducing the risks facing first responders.
"In these types of rescues, we have to quickly assess the extent of injuries in order to keep the patients alive.
"In this case, the RPAS or drone has not only managed to locate two people in extraordinarily difficult terrain, it's enabled us to communicate with them, halfway down a cliff-face."
Mr Nemec said the "state of the art" drone technology could be used in all sorts of situations from bushfires to building fires.
The FRNSW technology is being used at more than two dozen regional and suburban stations across NSW for rescue incidents, major fires and hazmat incidents, missing person searches, Hazard Reduction mapping and Pre-Incident Planning.
It has also been used to support other Emergency Services at incidents and improve safety in communities across NSW.
