Could drones be a life saver at the beach?

STAMFORD, C.T. -- Starting this weekend beaches will be open for the summer, staffed by lifeguards of course, but what if there was a better way to save someone at sea through the air via a drone?

Bill Piedra is the creator of Ryptide. It's a custom mount, made by a 3D printer, that attaches to a drone and releases an inflatable flotation device. The drone can reach a swimmer in seconds instead of minutes.

"The thought is not to replace a lifeguard. It's to augment the tools in their toolbox," Piedra said.

The project is still in development. Piedra has been mentoring high school students in Stamford, who are working to fully automate Ryptide

Before coming to a beach near you, Ryptide could come to market as soon as next year in Rio in time for the Olympics.

Indeed the use of the devices is growing. Just this week, firefighters in Texas used a drone to help rescue residents trapped by floodwaters.

It's a lifesaving idea whose time is coming.