CAUGHT ON VIDEO: World's first drone beach rescue
Lifeguards in Australia made history by using a drone to rescue two swimmers caught in a riptide.
It's believed to be the first time the technology has been used to save lives at sea.
The rescue took place on a beach popular with surfers south of Brisbane.
Lifeguards were holding a training session on using drones to pull swimmers to safety, but it turned into a real rescue when two men swimming outside safety flags got into a riptide and couldn't swim out.
Lifeguards put the drone in the air and moved it towards the swimmers and dropped an inflatable pod into the water, where it expanded. The swimmers grabbed it and were able to swim to shore on it.
Australian officials say that never before has a drone rescued swimmers by dropping a life preserver down to them. And it only took 70 seconds total.
The government has already invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in drone technology for situations just like this and officials say the investment paid off quickly.
