I think mock slide deployment could be made much cheaper than 30k - e. g. high-volume compressors can be used instead of gas canisters, the materials can be cheaper because there is no weight or temperature requirements, etc.

Fair, since it doesn’t actually need to work well enough for emergencies you’re presumably looking at bouncy castle levels of spending.

And no bills from the coast guard. (All these devices have distress beacons that activate automatically)