SEARCH AND RESCUE DRONES
Drones have revolutionized search and rescue operations.
At least 750 people worldwide have been rescued as a direct result of drone technology, according to DJI’s official statistics.
Drones are vital to search and rescue operations for the following reasons:
- Efficient coverage of a wide area
- Easily reach hard-to-reach areas and scale difficult terrain
- Fast and inexpensive to deploy
- Can fly low to the ground
- Thermal and zoom cameras aid searches
- Integrates speakers and spotlights for mission versatility
- Drone data can be used to build 2D maps and 3D models for vital situational awareness
Drones with thermal imaging cameras can see things you can’t spot with the naked eye, like this person camouflaged against the dark background
“We were looking for a missing teenager. The officers on the ground couldn’t see her. But the drone, with a thermal imaging camera, detected her.
Without the drone, she would have been found dead in the morning. The reliability and results of drones are outstanding.”
Mark Talliss, Wiltshire Police
BEST DRONES FOR SEARCH AND RESCUE
The best drones, sensors and payloads for search and rescue missions.
DJI MATRICE 300 RTK
DJI’s powerful and versatile commercial drone platform.
The Matrix 300 RTK is a powerful, rugged and versatile search and rescue solution.
- High endurance for extended flight times
- IP45 degree of protection for effective operation in harsh weather conditions
- Operating temperature range of -20°C to 50°C
- Operating distance of 8 km (CE) for wide area coverage
- Hot-swappable batteries to minimize downtime
- Wide payload compatibility and carries up to three simultaneously
Matrice 300
Gimbal
DJI MAVIC 2 ENTERPRISE
Lightweight, foldable and rapidly deployable drones for search and rescue.
Mavic 2 Enterprise Advanced Specifications:
- Built-in thermal and visual sensors
- Visual camera: 48MP, 32x digital zoom; Thermal: 640 x 512 px resolution, 16x zoom.
- Compatible with modular accessories: spotlight, speaker and beacon to aid search and rescue missions
- Operating temperature from -10°C to 40°C.
- Operating distance 6 km (EC).
- Up to 31 minutes of flight time
Mavic 2 Enterprise
MAVIC 2 ENTERPRISE ADVANCED VS DUAL
The best RGB and thermal performance with RTK-level accuracy.
The Mavic 2 Enterprise Advanced is a much improved version of the original Mavic 2 Enterprise and Dual. It offers high-class visual, thermal, zoom and RTK capabilities in one package. Upgrades include:
- Higher resolution camera: Mavic 2 Enterprise Advanced has a 48 MP visual sensor, compared to the 12 MP camera on Dual and Original. The M2EA’s sensor is a 1/2″ CMOS versus 1/2.3″ previously.
- Better thermal sensor: the Advanced has a thermal resolution of 640 x 512 px, with a frame rate of 30 Hz, compared to 160 x 120 px at 9 Hz on the Dual. The M2EA can store thermal images as R-JPEG;.
- More powerful zoom: M2EA has a 32x digital zoom and a dedicated 16x thermal zoom, much more powerful than the previous version.
- RTK module: M2EA can be integrated with an RTK module, providing centimeter-level positioning.
- Waypoints: M2EA can generate up to 240 waypoints to enable automated and more complex missions than the Dual’s only 99 waypoints.
The resolution of your thermal sensor can make the difference between success and failure: M2EA has a 640 x 512px resolution radiometric sensor with a 30Hz frame rate. In comparison, the Dual has a non-radiometric sensor of 160 x 120px, 9Hz.
DRONE SEARCH AND RESCUE CASE STUDIES
Learn how drones are revolutionizing search and rescue teams.
MISSING PENSIONER RESCUED BY DRONE
This video shows the moment North Wales police used a drone to find a missing retiree and his family said they would not have stood a chance without it.
Roy Giblin, 82, had been missing for nearly 24 hours when he was found with a DJI M300 RTK drone and an H20T camera. The zoom lens, in particular, proved useful.
The search had involved foot patrols and the police helicopter, but it was the drone-which flew close to the ground-was able to locate Mr. Giblin in a grassy area overgrown with vegetation.
“Mr. Giblin’s life was probably saved because of the drone. The aerial coverage it provided allowed us to capture a wider area and we spotted him in a different location from where the ground team was searching.”
Sgt. Paul Terry, North Wales Police
THERMAL CAMERA DRONE RESCUES STRANDED GROUP
A thermal camera drone helped rescue six missing people from the treacherous dune land, finding them in less than five minutes.
Under the cover of darkness, the 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 cell phone belonging to the stranded group. The team stepped in to confirm that it was the missing team and then escorted ground teams to the exact location to bring 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 benefit from drones.
A case in point is Lochaber, Scotland’s busiest mountain rescue team, covering the UK’s highest peak, Ben Nevis.
Deploying drones in such a hostile environment has the following advantages:
- 50% faster than traditional search methods
- Requires fewer crew members for certain missions: the drone can do a quick spot check instead of sending a large contingent on foot
- Expands the search area and provides an overview of the scene
- Aerial inspections of problem areas, including avalanche sites and ledges
- Keep an eye on crew members once they have embarked on a rescue: where they are and conditions around them
- Drone mapping to build 3-D models of a rescue area-especially effective if the team is unfamiliar with the area.
“The drone is a valuable tool for our mountain rescue. It allows us to make decisions about deployment and means we can check out the area without having to go up – it really increases our situational awareness.”
Mike Smith, Lochaber Mountain Rescue
SEARCH AND RESCUE DRONE TRAINING
Dronedubai is the trusted partner for the use of drones in search and rescue organizations throughout Italy.
Dronedubai is the trusted drone partner of search and rescue organizations throughout Italy.
Our delivery includes proof of concept and consulting, drone supply, repairs, and drone training. Our drone training offerings include the Emergency Services Drone Operator Training Course (ES-DOT), which provides mission-specific training in a closed course environment.
Dronedubai also has a proven track record of helping search and rescue organizations create a tailored search and rescue operations manual.
For example, Dronedubai’s Operations Manual renewal service has improved the life-saving capabilities of the Buxton Mountain Rescue Team, helping to update the document to allow nighttime drone flights.
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Matrice 30
Matrice 300
Mavic 2 Enterprise
Mavic 3 Enterprise