A team of engineers from the state-owned PTT Exploration and Production Public Company Limited (PTTEP) and the Natural Resources Department today launched 3 airborne drones and two underwater robot to join the ongoing operations to search for the missing 13-member youth football team.
The team from PTTEP, an oil and gas exploration and production company, used the three airborne drones to take aerial photography of the cave to produce high resolution three dimensional models of the mountain caves while the underwater robots could work in muddy water without any problems.
PTTEP specialist Dr Thana Saranvejjaphan said the drones would be flown above the 1-2 square kilometre area of the mountain to take 3-D photographs and digital maps as tool to aid the rescue team in mapping the search operation.
He said that the drones are used by PTTEP to explore equipments on its offshore oil rigs.
But he said that the two underwater robots have now been on stand-by in the cave late today to support the working of the Navy SEAL.
He said one underwater is remotely controlled and fully automated while another is connected with cable.
Both are now on standby pending permission from the SEAL team, he said.