POSEIDRON (© Sincratech Aeronautics) aims to save lives when people fall overboard out at sea or are involved in migration-related shipwrecks. It can be launched from ships or platforms under virtually any weather conditions.

The multicopter uses thermal cameras and the European positioning service EGNOS to quickly locate people in the water and transmit an alarm and precise information to rescue teams.

Capable of carrying up to 70 kilogrammes, it can also transport a dinghy and deploy it as soon as casualties are found. This makes Poseidron faster and more cost-effective than other rescue systems, significantly increasing the chances of survival, particularly in cold waters.

About ESNC:

Each year, the European Satellite Navigation Competition (ESNC) seeks services, products, and business innovations that use satellite navigation in everyday life.

In the 2015 edition, prizes were awarded by some of the most relevant institutional GNSS stakeholders, such as the European GNSS Agency (GSA), the European Space Agency (ESA), the German Aerospace Center (DLR), and the German Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure (BMVI) in association with the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi).

In addition, 24 partner regions from all over the world hosted their own regional challenges. The prize pool in ESNC 2015 was valued at approximately EUR 1 million, which included cash awards, business incubation, business coaching, patent consulting, technical support, access to testing facilities, prototype development, publicity, marketing support, and much more. All of the winners were recognised on stage at a festive Awards Ceremony that took place on 20 October in line with the Satellite Masters Conference in Berlin, Germany.