Missing hikers found, thermal cameras at night, drones over floodwater — SAR missions, documented.
Welcome to your weekly UAS news update. I have four stories for you this week that show just how much is happening in this industry right now, from a life-saving rescue in Kentucky to regulatory changes you need to know about if you’re planning to submit a waiver. This week’s stories: Let’s get to it.…
A lost hiker was safely rescued in the McKenzie Bridge area of Oregon on December 26 thanks to a coordinated search effort that included drone technology, infrared imaging, and ground crews navigating difficult terrain. The operation highlights how unmanned aircraft systems are becoming a standard tool in modern search and rescue missions, especially in rugged…
A late night search in southern Ohio ended safely thanks to a police drone and a program that has been in place longer than many people realize. As the Scioto Post reports, on December 28, just before 11 p.m., Chillicothe Police were dispatched to assist the Ross County Sheriff’s Office near Belleview Avenue and Plyleys…
When a hiker found himself injured and stuck overnight on Camelback Mountain near Phoenix, help arrived from above, but not in the way most people expect. Instead of a dramatic night hoist, the Phoenix Fire Department sent a DJI drone carrying a small survival kit that made a long, cold night far more manageable, as…
A routine afternoon walk in LaGrange, Kentucky turned into a 29 hour fight for survival, and a drone roughly the size of a pizza box ended up being the difference between a recovery and a rescue. On December 20, Oldham County search and rescue teams were alerted that a local man had gone missing. He…
The day we’ve all been dreading is finally here, but it came with a pretty big unexpected surprise that I don’t think anybody was expecting. Brendan Carr, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, recently announced that the FCC has added foreign-produced drones and drone components to the covered entity list. We all knew it was…
U.S. Customs and Border Protection is going small, very small, when it comes to drones. Instead of relying only on large, expensive aircraft, CBP is now deploying palm sized and backpack friendly drones to watch massive stretches of border terrain. Think less Predator drone, more “DJI Mini with a government ID badge.” These small unmanned…
We have been reporting on the DJI ban for over a year, but today we are publishing something different: a comprehensive, documented record of American lives saved by the very drones that will be banned in nine days. DroneXL reader Chad Roylance compiled this list from verified news reports, first responder testimonies, and official rescue…
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