  Fast radio bursts (FRBs) are quickly becoming a subject of intense interest
in time-domain astronomy. The progenitors of FRBs remain unknown but a wide
variety of models exist from cataclysmic to repeating scenarios. Advances in
FRB detection using current and next-generation radio telescopes will enable
the growth of the population in the next few years. Real-time discovery of FRBs
is now possible with 6 sources detected in real-time within the past 2 years at
the Parkes telescope. Here we discuss the developing strategies for maximising
real-time science with FRBs including polarisation capture and multi-wavelength
follow-up, with particular focus on real-time detections with the Parkes
telescope as a test bed for fast radio burst science. We also discuss how our
response to these events can pave the way for the next generation of FRB
searches with wide-field interferometers.
