Safer Summers: Innovation Beneath the Waves with ArtemisSAR and StarFish

The Advanced Sonar Systems Giving Surf Life Savers the Tools to Protect Lives with Greater Speed, Safety, and Confidence

As we turn the page into Aussie summer, the rhythm of life begins to shift. Schools wind down, businesses ease off the pace, and communities take time to soak up the warm weather, long days, and beautiful beaches. Surf Life Savers across the country step up as our seaside heroes — patrolling the beaches, watching over the shore, and keeping swimmers safe while we enjoy the sun and surf.

Among the toughest responsibilities Surf Life Savers face are search and rescue missions. These can involve locating missing swimmers, recovering foreign objects, and, in tragic cases, lost lives. The question is: how do we ensure Surf Life Savers are equipped and protected while they protect us?

Enter Blueprint Subsea, a UK‑based company, who specialise in advanced underwater acoustic sensors. Among their diverse portfolio are two game-changing systems, the Artemis Search and Rescue (SAR) system and the StarFish side‑scan sonar. These cutting‑edge technologies have transformed the way Surf Life Savers conduct search and recovery missions, enhancing efficiency, accuracy, and safety along our coastlines.

The StarFish is a side scan sonar device designed for shallow survey work. This system can be towed, hull-mounted or integrated into an OEM system. Engineered for efficiency, the towed system enables rapid one‑person deployment. The tri-fin design provides a stable platform for improved image capture. With swath coverage of up to 200 metres, Surf Life Savers can scan entire beaches quickly with multiple passes. This efficiency gives them a crucial edge in time‑sensitive missions, reducing search times and increasing the likelihood of successful outcomes.

The ArtemisSAR system combines sonar, camera, and GPS technology with a handheld console for recording and reviewing data. This system is designed to locate targets in hazardous, turbid conditions. The ArtemisSAR system is a game‑changer for search and rescue operations in hazardous environments where traditional towed systems cannot reach — such as shallow reefs and rugged coastal rock faces. By eliminating the need for divers to manually search complex reef structures, ArtemisSAR not only enhances search efficiency but also significantly reduces risk. Surf Life Savers now only need to enter the water once a target has been identified, ensuring safer and more effective missions.

Blueprint Subsea is at the forefront of marine innovation, with systems like ArtemisSAR and StarFish redefining search and rescue operations along our coastlines. These technologies increase the safety of Surf Life Savers by keeping them out of the water for longer, while also reducing the physical strain and fatigue associated with manual diver searches. Capable of operating effectively even in turbid or murky conditions, they allow divers to assess the underwater environment before entering, enabling them to make safer and more informed decisions. By dramatically cutting down search times in time‑critical missions and offering rapid deployment, ArtemisSAR and StarFish provide Surf Life Savers with the tools they need to respond faster, more efficiently, and with greater confidence in challenging environments.

As communities embrace summer and the beaches fill with families, swimmers, and surfers, Surf Life Savers continue their vital role as guardians of the shore. With advanced tools like StarFish and ArtemisSAR, they are better equipped than ever to meet the challenges of search and rescue — ensuring that the Aussie summer remains a season of joy, safety, and celebration.

For more information on products by Blueprint Subsea, please Contact the BlueZone Group sales team.

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