Drones for Search & Rescue Missions

Search and Rescue Drones

Drones, Sensors, Searchlights and Spotlights

Search And Rescue Drones

Drones have revolutionised search and rescue operations.

At least 750 people around the world have been rescued as a direct result of drone technology, according to official stats from DJI.

Drones are vital for search and rescue operations for the following reasons:

Efficient large area coverage
Easily reach difficult-to-access areas and scale tricky terrain
Quick and cost-effective to deploy
Can fly low to the ground
Thermal and zoom cameras aid searches
Integrate loudspeakers and spotlights for enhanced mission versatility
Drone data can be used to build 2D maps and 3D models for vital situational awareness

Thermal camera drones can see things that you can't spot with the naked eye, such as this police dog handler camouflaged into the dark background

"We were looking for a missing teenager. Officers on the ground couldn't see her. But the drone, with a thermal camera, detected her. Without the drone, she would have been found dead in the morning. The reliability and results of the drone are outstanding."

Mark Talliss, Wiltshire Police

Best Drones For Search And Rescue

The best drones, sensors and payloads for Search & Rescue missions.

DJI Matrice 300 RTK

The powerful, versatile commercial drone platform from DJI.

The Matrice 300 RTK is a powerful, rugged and versatile solution for search and rescue.

High endurance for prolonged flight time
IP45 rating for effective operation in difficult weather conditions
-20°C to 50°C operating temperature
8km (CE) operating distance for large area coverage
Hot-swappable batteries to minimise downtime
Vast payload compatibility and carry up to three simultaneously

DJI Mavic 2 Enterprise

Lightweight, foldable and quickly deployable drones for search and rescue.

Mavic 2 Enterprise Advanced specs:

Integrated thermal and visual sensors
Visual camera: 48MP, 32x digital zoom; Thermal: 640 x 512 px resolution, 16x zoom.
Compatible with modular accessories: Spotlight, loudspeaker and beacon to aid search and rescue missions
-10°C to 40°C operating temperature
6km (CE) operating distance
Up to 31 minutes flight time

Mavic 2 Enterprise Advanced

£5,480.00

Mavic 2 Enterprise Dual

from £2,246.40 £2,805.00 Save £558.60

Mavic 2 Enterprise Advanced vs Dual

Best-in-class RGB and Thermal performance with RTK level precision.

The Mavic 2 Enterprise Advanced is a much-improved version of the original Mavic 2 Enterprise and Dual. It features high-class visual, thermal, zoom and RTK capabilities in one package. Upgrades include:

Higher Resolution Camera: Mavic 2 Enterprise Advanced has a 48MP visual sensor, compared to the 12MP camera on the Dual and Original. The M2EA's sensor is a 1/2" CMOS vs 1/2.3" previously.
Better Thermal Sensor: The Advanced has 640 x 512 px thermal resolution, with 30Hz frame rate, compared to 160 x 120 px at 9Hz on the Dual. The M2EA can store thermal imagery as R-JPEG;.
More Powerful Zoom: The M2EA has 32x digital zoom, and dedicated 16x thermal zoom, much more powerful than the previous version.
RTK Module: The M2EA can be integrated with an RTK module, providing centimetre-level positioning.
Waypoints: The M2EA can generate up to 240 waypoints to enable automated and more complex missions vs only 99 waypoints on the Dual.

The resolution of your thermal sensor can be the difference between success and failure - M2EA has a radiometric 640 x 512px resolution sensor with a 30Hz frame rate. In comparison, the Dual has a non-radiometric 160 x 120px, 9Hz sensor.

Search And Rescue Drone Case Studies

Learn how drone sare revolutionising search and rescue teams.

Missing Pensioner Saved By Drone

This video shows the moment North Wales Police used a drone to find a missing pensioner - and his family said he didn’t stand a chance without it.

Roy Giblin, 82, had been missing for almost 24 hours when he was found with a DJI M300 RTK drone and H20T camera. The zoom, in particular, proved useful.

The search had involved foot patrols and the police helicopter, but it was the drone - flying close to the ground - was able to locate Mr Giblin in an overgrown grassy area.

“Mr Giblin’s life was very likely saved thanks to the drone. The aerial cover it provided meant that we could capture a wider area and we spotted him in a different location from where the ground team was searching.”
Sergeant Paul Terry, North Wales Police

Thermal Camera Drone Rescues Stranded Group

A thermal camera drone helped rescue six missing people from treacherous duneland - finding them in less than five minutes.

Under the cover of darkness, Southport Lifeboat crew deployed the DJI M210 V2 drone and XT2 thermal camera to scan the vast area of complex terrain in Ainsdale.

Just four and a half minutes after takeoff, operators saw a flash of light from a mobile phone belonging to the stranded group. The team homed in to confirm it was the missing party, and subsequently escorted ground crews to the exact location to bring the people home safely.

It would have taken at least an hour to conduct the same search using a traditional foot patrol.

Drones For Mountain Rescue

Mountain rescue teams are benefiting from drones.

A case in point is Lochaber, Scotland’s busiest mountain rescue team, which covers the UK’s highest peak, Ben Nevis.

Deploying drones in such a hostile environment has the following benefits:

50% quicker than traditional search methods
Requires less crew members for certain missions: The drone can do a quick spot check instead of sending out a large contingent on foot
Widens the search area and provides an overview of the scene
Overhead inspections of areas of concern, including avalanche sites and cornices
Keep tabs on crew members once they have embarked on a rescue: Where they are and conditions around them
Drone mapping to build 3D models of a rescue area: Particularly effective if the team is not familiar with the area.

“The drone is an invaluable tool for our mountain rescue. It allows us to make decisions about deployment and means we can check out the area without having to climb up - it really does increase our situational awareness.”
Mike Smith, Lochaber Mountain Rescue

Search And Rescue Drone Training

heliguy™ is the trusted drone partner of search and rescue organisations around the UK.

Search And Rescue Drone Training

heliguy™ is the trusted drone partner of search and rescue organisations around the UK.

Our provision includes proof of concept and consultancy, drone supply, repairs and drone training. Our drone training provision includes the Emergency Services Drone Operators (ES-DOT) Training course, which provides mission-specific training in a closed-course environment.

heliguy™ also has a track record of helping search and rescue organisations build an Operations Manual tailored to search and rescue.

For example, heliguy™'s Operations Manual renewal service enhanced the life-saving capabilities of Buxton Mountain Rescue Team - helping to upgrade the document to enable nighttime drone flights.