Drones have become increasingly popular among photographers and filmmakers over the last few years, but that's not the extent of drones' uses. Though not talked about as much, drones have made significant headway in becoming a trusty tool for search and rescue missions, and for good reason.
When it comes to search and rescue operations, drones can quickly and efficiently survey swaths of land that would take ground-based search teams hours, days, or even weeks to cover. The intersection of modern camera technology and unmanned aircraft technology has transformed the way missing person searches are conducted. Drones also greatly enhance search and rescue teams' ability to plan.
Without further ado, let's discuss why drones should be at every search and rescue mission.
Search and Rescue Personnel — You Should Utilize Drones
If you're in law enforcement or involved in another group or department that conducts search and rescue operations, you should strongly consider using drones to make your operations more efficient and effective. These devices can radically transform the way search and rescue is conducted, and we'll explain how.
Drones Help When Looking for People in Harsh Environments
Drones are invaluable when it comes to looking for a missing person in harsh, unforgiving terrain. It can take a team days or even weeks to search in the mountains, dense woods, or other inhospitable terrain. But with a drone, this same area can be scanned in a matter of hours.
Drones can quickly get to otherwise inaccessible areas. For example, a drone can easily survey a steep mountainside or valley. In this way, drones can keep search teams safer by doing what could be treacherous for conventional teams by a remote pilot on the ground.
Drones have become an integral component of search and rescue teams that operate in harsh regions. Check out how this search and rescue team in Iceland has been using the DJI M200 coupled with thermal imaging to locate missing people in a particularly unforgiving environment. This is a real-life testament to the way drones expedite and simplify the search and rescue process. To say the least, drone technology has become a trusty asset for this search and rescue team.
Another scenario where drones shine is in missing person scenarios in the wake of natural disasters. After an earthquake, hurricane, flood, or tornado, search and rescue teams must search huge areas that are often covered in rubble and debris. Between conventional drone cameras and thermal imaging, teams can more efficiently search for missing people when time is particularly critical.
Not only can an area be scanned via the drone's live feed, but the entire mission can be recorded and analyzed later. This is helpful because it allows search and rescue teams to double-check their work to make sure they didn't miss anything during the flight.
Planning
While drones are an incredible tool that should be utilized by all search and rescue teams, they don't render ground-based rescue teams completely obsolete. The most effective search and rescue strategy is to combine aerial and ground-based assets.
The most effective search and rescue strategy is to combine aerial and ground-based assets.
One of the best ways to combine aerial and ground assets is to use drones to help teams plan routes for their ground-based personnel. An eye in the sky is extremely helpful in reconnoitering a particular area to create a more informed plan of attack for these ground teams.
Sending a drone ahead to scout out the best path to take can save ground teams a lot of time that could be wasted trying to navigate tough terrain. What's more, these teams can take drones with them to methodically update their course along the way. In search and rescue scenarios, time is particularly precious, and it can be saved with the use of strategic aerial reconnaissance.
Products to Consider for Search and Rescue
The great thing about implementing drones in search and rescue operations is that there aren't many specific technological requirements per se. In other words, virtually any drone with a good camera, a long flight time, and stable flight characteristics is fair game.
With that being said, we'll give you a list of the top drones we recommend for search and rescue applications.
Autel Evo
The Autel Robotics Evo is a great choice for search and rescue applications for several reasons. Its camera is great, and it has a fairly robust image transmission system, which means you'll have a clear, detailed view of what the drone sees with minimal break up on your live feed.
The Evo also doesn't have any flight restrictions. In other words, regardless of where you find yourself or your team, the Evo will be ready to go, uninhibited by any geofencing software. When you need to get a drone up in the air as fast as possible, this is particularly advantageous.
The Evo's remote controller also has a built-in OLED screen. This means you don't have to have a phone connected to the controller to fly the drone. This is useful for search and rescue scenarios when you might not have a phone handy or you otherwise need to get the drone in the air as fast as possible.
Autel's Live Deck is one of the most compelling reasons to go with this drone for search and rescue applications. Simply put, the Live Deck is a device that broadcasts the Evo's feed directly to a number of other monitors. In a search and rescue situation, this means more members of your team can get eyes on the situation, resulting in greater overall situational awareness.
As an added bonus, the Autel Evo is bright orange, which makes it look like a drone that's used by emergency response personnel. This color scheme also makes the drone more noticeable, which means a lost or missing person might have a better chance of seeing the drone flying in the area and flagging it down.
Last but not least, the Evo is extremely portable. When its arms are folded inward, the drone takes up very little space, which means it can be easily tucked away and stowed in a squad car or other vehicle.
With foldable arms, the Autel Evo is extremely portable.
Check current pricing for the Autel Evo on Amazon here.
DJI Mavic 2 Enterprise Dual
The DJI Mavic 2 Enterprise Dual is another drone that has a ton of features that make it a solid option for search and rescue.
This drone is equipped with OccuSync 2.0, DJI's best image transmission system. You'll be able to fly this drone several miles away with no live feed break up. When it comes to search and rescue, this is paramount. The last thing you want in a search and rescue operation is to have the video feed break up when you're flying a mile or so out, possibly close to the person you're searching for.
The Mavic 2 Enterprise Dual is also equipped with a thermal camera that can be easily turned on when needed. Thermal imaging capabilities are a huge plus when searching for missing people at night or in densely wooded areas. This feature alone makes this particular drone stand out from most others on the market.
Thermal imaging capabilities are a huge plus when searching for missing people at night or in densely wooded areas.
This drone also comes with a bright spotlight that can be easily mounted on top of it. This is extremely helpful when looking for people at night because it allows the pilot to see better. In this way, the spotlight attachment functions as a bright flashlight that aids in night searches.
What's more, the Mavic 2 Enterprise Dual also comes with a flashing beacon attachment. This accessory is useful in search and rescue scenarios because it can potentially help lead a missing person to safety. Additionally, while this beacon doesn't quite meet the FAA's criteria for “anti-collision lighting,” it's still a good safety measure that'll let people know that a drone is in flight in low light situations.
If you're still not convinced that the Mavic 2 Enterprise Dual is the ultimate search and rescue drone, it even comes with a speaker that can be mounted on top. This is super helpful for search and rescue purposes because it allows the drone pilot to broadcast customized messages through the speaker. This could help the missing person flag the drone down, and once found, the pilot can broadcast a message letting the person know that help is on the way.
The Mavic 2 Enterprise Dual also folds up in a similar way to the Autel Evo. This portability factor is huge when it comes to search and rescue applications. In these scenarios, having a small drone that can be easily unfolded and put into the air is extremely beneficial. The last thing you want when the clock is ticking and you're trying to find a missing person is to have to go through a complicated procedure to get a drone set up and airborne.
Read more about the Mavic 2 Enterprise Dual on DJI's website here.
DJI Matrice 200
The DJI M200 series is a great option for search and rescue applications. This drone is much less affordable than the others we've mentioned, but it's an incredible investment because it will significantly enhance the search and rescue operations in your department or organization.
With 17 inch propellers, this is one of the most stable and air-competent drones available on the market. The M200 series also features a robust obstacle avoidance system which serves as an added layer of protection when flying in tight spaces.
While this drone is significantly larger than the others we've talked about, it still folds up and has a relatively compact profile. For such a large drone, the M200 is relatively portable. What's more, it can be unfolded, set up, and in the air fairly quickly.
Perhaps the most compelling feature of the M200 series is the camera/gimbal configurations. This drone accommodates multiple gimbals, and they can be configured both underneath and on top of the aircraft. There are several different Zenmuse cameras that can be attached to the M200 series, including the Zenmuse XT2 thermal camera. This coupled with the drone's dual downward gimbal capability means the pilot can record video footage on both a thermal and conventional camera simultaneously. This is particularly useful, as it allows search and rescue teams to gain more situational awareness when analyzing video footage.
The pilot can record video footage on both a thermal and conventional camera simultaneously.
The Matrice series has been known to do withstand harsh weather conditions and continue operating flawlessly. In fact, this drone has a durable coating that makes it weather resistant. Generally speaking, this drone can be flown in light rain, an extremely advantageous capability for a drone that might need to be used in a wide variety of climates and environments.
Overall, the Matrice is arguably the best drone available for search and rescue applications. Without a doubt, it'll be a great asset to your team.
Learn more about the Matrice 200 on DJI's website here.
DJI Goggles
DJI Goggles are a great addition to your DJI search and rescue drone. These goggles allow the pilot or someone else on the ground to view the drone's live feed in an immersive, high definition experience.
This is so critical when it comes to search and rescue because it optimizes your aerial asset. When viewing the drone's live feed on a phone or tablet, glare is often problematic, and it makes it easy to overlook important details that your drone is seeing. DJI Goggles eliminate this by giving the pilot an enhanced, first-person view. In this way, these goggles essentially give the drone pilot the same view that a manned aircraft pilot would have flying over the area.
Another feature that makes these goggles incredible is the ability to adjust a setting that allows the drone's gimbal to follow your head movement. In other words, you can simply turn your head wherever you want the drone to point its camera. This gives the pilot an increased amount of control over the drone, which means they can focus more on scanning the ground below.
DJI Goggles might just mean the difference in missing a person on the ground and spotting them immediately. For a relatively low price, these goggles are a must for search and rescue teams.
Learn more about the goggles on DJI's website here.
Check current pricing on Amazon here.
Current Drone Pilots That Want to Get Involved in Search and Rescue
Odds are that many of you reading this post aren't law enforcement or search and rescue personnel, but rather are enthusiastic drone pilots that want to help. The good news is that you can, but there are a few caveats that we'll discuss.
Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate
The first thing you need to do is get Part 107 certified. While using a drone for search and rescue isn't necessarily a “commercial” use in that the aircraft isn't being used to directly earn money or further a business, the FAA strongly maintains that anyone using a drone for anything other than pure recreation must obtain a Part 107 license.
But don't worry, we've created the ultimate guide to getting the Part 107 license to help guide you through the process. If you follow this guide, you'll be able to move on to the next step in no time.
Aside from legality, having a Remote Pilot Certificate will make you more credible as a pilot. Law enforcement agencies will be more willing to partner with someone that has gone through the process to become a licensed professional as opposed to a mere hobbyist. In other words, the Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate will show that you're serious about using your drone to help.
Getting Started
Now that you've received your Part 107 certification, you can start contacting local law enforcement agencies and emergency management offices to express interest in supporting their search and rescue efforts.
Simply convey your drone's capabilities and your experience as a drone pilot along with your interest in supporting their search and rescue operations. However, don't sound overly zealous when you approach these departments; being too gung-ho for using your drone for search and rescue will deter departments from wanting to work with you, as they might assume that you're likely to be more of a liability than an asset.
However, before you do this, be prepared to be turned down by some agencies or departments. Many agencies have already started integrating drones into their search and rescue operations, so in their view, having an outsider on-site operating a drone is too great of a liability.
If this happens, don't be discouraged. Just give them your information and move on to the next department. You never know when they might realize they need more aerial assets and give you a call.
That said, many agencies will gladly welcome local drone pilots that want to join with enthusiasm. That said, they may still require you to attend a number of courses or training events to integrate you into their team. When it comes to search and rescue missions, it's imperative that all team members are on the same page and that they're well versed in the team's standard operating procedures. All the drone experience in the world doesn't mean anything if you can't work well within the existing search and rescue team.
In fact, drone operators that are untrained in an agency's operating procedures might be more of a hindrance than a help in search and rescue missions.
Final Thoughts
Drones have proven to be immensely helpful in search and rescue operations over the last few years. Their technological capabilities and relative ease of use make them an asset every search and rescue team should employ.
When it comes to searching for missing people in harsh environments, drones have a track record of making a positive difference for search and rescue teams.
For the skilled civilian drone pilots out there, there's a place for you on a search and rescue team near you. The intersection of the drone community and search and rescue has led to an enhanced solution for finding missing people.
