Orange County – A deadly alligator attack in Winter Garden is raising questions about how to improve public safety around Florida’s waterways, as a South Florida technology group develops a system designed to detect alligators and crocodiles before people get too close.
The system, called Croc Alarm, is being developed by Miami-based WildlifeOS. It is designed to use sonar imaging and artificial intelligence to identify alligators and crocodiles beneath the water’s surface and provide real-time warnings to people nearby.
The proposed technology comes amid renewed concerns about encounters with the reptiles in Florida, where alligators are common in lakes, ponds, canals and other waterways.
A deadly alligator attack in Winter Garden this month shocked the local community. In June, a fishing trip involving a father and son in Marion County also turned dangerous when an alligator attacked, prompting the father to try to pry the animal’s jaws open.
[RELATED: How many alligators are in Florida? The state once counted]
Croc Alarm is intended to provide an additional layer of awareness for people near the water. According to WildlifeOS founder and CEO Rodolfo Saccoman, the system would use active sonar to scan underwater environments continuously, with artificial intelligence helping identify potential threats.
The system is designed to communicate its findings through visual indicators and alerts sent to a user’s phone. Green would indicate no detected threat, yellow that the system is processing information, and red that an alligator or crocodile has been detected nearby.
Saccoman said the company intends to prioritize accuracy before making the technology widely available.
“We will never put this device out at scale unless we’re really confident of the accuracy,” Saccoman said.
The system remains under development, with prototypes and real-world testing planned before a potential rollout next year, according to the project’s current plans.
The technology’s effectiveness will depend on its ability to reliably distinguish alligators and crocodiles from other underwater objects and conditions. Until the system has been tested and validated, it should not be considered a substitute for established wildlife safety practices.
The project’s broader goal is to reduce dangerous encounters between people and wildlife by providing warnings before someone unknowingly approaches a potentially dangerous animal.
Even as developers work toward that goal, Florida residents and visitors are urged to remain cautious around waterways where alligators may be present.
Copyright 2026 by WKMG ClickOrlando – All rights reserved.