By Priscella Vega
Press-Telegram
SEAL BEACH >> With a rise in juvenile shark sightings along the coast of Surfside beach this spring, Seal Beach lifeguards are using the latest technology to protect swimmers.
The Seal Beach Marine Safety and Lifeguard Department is the first city in Orange County to monitor shark activity through use of a drone, or more specifically, the DJI Phantom 3.
Marine Safety Chief Joe Bailey said the remotely-controlled device has proved significantly effective in tracking sharks over the last five weeks.
Before the use of technology, lifeguards were sent by boat to try and scan for sharks, a time-consuming and ineffective method since lifeguards are 5 feet off the water and often scare sharks away, Bailey said. The drone drops search missions down to roughly 30 minutes.
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