An intelligent underwater rescue method based on an unmanned aerial vehicle comprises the following steps that a rescue device is connected with the unmanned aerial vehicle, and the unmanned aerial vehicle is started and operates; when controlling the unmanned aerial vehicle to fly in the preset speed according to a preset route, a processing device detects whether human body information exists in water or not in real time through an infrared detector; if yes, the processing device acquires whether an area containing the human body information is a safe area or not; if the area containing the human body information is not the safe area, the processing device detects whether a human body exists under water or not through the infrared detector; if the human body exists under the water, the rescue device is controlled to be disconnected with a connecting device, and an image of the human body under the water is shot through a camera; according to the image of the human body under the water, the processing device controls the rescue device to travel to the image position and analyzes whether the human body is in an unconscious state or not; if the human body is in the unconscious state, a storage bin is controlled to be open, the human body is put into the storage bin, a drainage device is controlled to drain liquid in the storage bin, and the storage bin floats upwards to the water surface; the processing device controls the unmanned aerial vehicle to fly to the position of the rescue device and controls the unmanned aerial vehicle to be connected with the rescue device; and after connecting, the unmanned aerial vehicle is controlled to fly to an emergency center.