Dogs stranded in La Palma to be rescued by drone-operated nets

A drone company in Spain will rescue three dogs stranded near a volcano in the La Palma Islands, which has recently erupted. The drone operators will make use of a remote-controlled net to catch them and fly them out over a stream of lava. The Spanish government has granted permission to carry out the operations.

After evaluating the detailed proposed rescue mission, emergency authorities said in a statement they had decided to allow it.

Jaime Pereira, CEO of drone operator Aerocamaras, said that he plans to send a 50 kg drone equipped with a wide net to try to trap the dogs, one by one, and fly them to safety, some 450 metres away from overflowing lava.

Also Read: Explained: Volcanic eruption on Spanish island and its impact

“It’s the first time an animal is being rescued with a drone and the first time it has to be captured. If that’s the last option that the dogs have? Then we’re going after them,” Pereira told Reuters. “

According to media reports, at least three emaciated dogs have been stranded for weeks in an abandoned yard covered with volcanic ash on the island of La Palma, which has recently erupted into lava.

Ever since the dogs have been fed by drones dropping packages of food and water, however, the administration has not been able to figure out how to rescue them. Helicopters are banned from flying to the area because of hot gas that can damage their rotors.

As far as the operation is concerned, the rescuers will have four minutes to attract dogs towards the nest and capture them and will get another four minutes to carry them to safety over the lava.

The biggest challenge will be battery backup while conducting the operations as luring the dogs can take time and the battery can go off by then.

In Pics | Destruction caused by volcanic eruption in Spain’s La Palma

Test flights are being carried out by the operators to ensure that there are no loopholes in the plan. 

“They’ve been eating very little for weeks. They might come, or become scared of the drone. We really depend on their reaction,” said Pereira