A drone that can spot sharks and warn people has been developed by Australian researchers.

The battery powered, unmanned drone uses an artificial intelligence technology to identify sharks and send out a safety warning through a megaphone.

The drones will be used to patrol many main beaches in Australia from the summer of 2017 or 2018.

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The drone (pictured) gives an overhead warning to swimmers when a shark or a potential risk is detected via an on-board megaphone attached to the drone

HOW DOES IT WORK? The battery powered, unmanned drones uses an artificial intelligence technology to identify sharks and send out a safety warning through a megaphone. The drone works via real time analysis of overhead footage, and information can be relayed immediately to emergency services, beach lifeguards and beach users to help make safe decisions about getting into the water. The drone can distinguish between sharks and other marine life such as dolphins, rays and whales. It's also capable of distinguishing surfers, swimmers, boats and other objects. Advertisement

In 2016, there were 26 shark attacks recorded in Australia, including two fatalities, so it's hoped that the drones will help prevent these attacks.

The drone, developed by the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) and drone company Westpac Little Ripper Lifesaver, is 90 per cent accurate at detecting sharks.

The drone can distinguish between sharks and other marine life such as dolphins, rays and whales.

It's also capable of distinguishing surfers, swimmers, boats and other objects.

The drone works via real time analysis of overhead footage, and information can be relayed immediately to emergency services, beach lifeguards and beach users to help make safe decisions about getting into the water.

'The automated system for detection and identification of sharks in particular, and marine life/objects more generally, was developed using cutting edge deep neural networks and image processing techniques,' said Professor Michael Blumenstein, Head of the School of Software in the Faculty of Engineering and IT at UTS.

In 2016, there were 26 shark attacks recorded in Australia, including two fatalities, so it's hoped that the drones will help prevent these attacks. Pictured is a great white shark in Australia's Dangerous Reef at Neptune Island

'The system efficiently distinguishes and identifies sharks from other targets by processing video feeds that are dynamic, as well as images, where objects are static.'

The drone gives an overhead warning to swimmers when a shark or a potential risk is detected via an on-board megaphone attached to the drone.

The drone can distinguish between sharks and other marine life such as dolphins, rays and whales

The drone works via real time analysis of overhead footage, and information can be relayed immediately to emergency services, beach lifeguards and beach users to help make safe decisions about getting into the water

'Sharkspotter uses image processing techniques, state-of-the-art sensors and software, and applies deep learning neural networks for object detection and classification,' said Dr Nabin Sharma a research associate at UST's School of Software who has been working on the algorithm.

'This system will help make beach recreation much safer and is a major milestone in addressing shark attacks with very real ability to save a life,' said Eddie Bennet, the CEO of Westpac Little Ripper Lifesaver.

'This smart algorithm gives us yet another capability in patrolling beaches which we have been doing regularly for almost a year.'