This link is a news report about use of drones to save life at sea.
BBC news

In this case the drone does not drop supplies, it is to guide the lifeboat quickly to the persons in trouble, without time taken up in searching.

(Most lifeboats in the UK are operated by the RNLI, Royal National Lifeboat Institution, a large charity devoted to saving life at sea. The lifeboat featured in this report is operated and crewed by an independent charity.)