UKH

Some mountain rescue teams are using dogs to help search for people missing in the mountains.

I wonder if drones couldn't also/instead be used?

They can be fitted with ordinary and infrared cameras, meaning a search could be continued 24/7.  

In reply to BoaseF:

Been going on for a while

https://www.bbc.com/news/amp/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-45989393

In reply to BoaseF:

They could be fitted with a lot more than that. Finding people's tech is probably easier in bad weather than finding people.

The law is currently pretty restrictive for practical operation.

Jk

In reply to jkarran:

I'm very sure that if I was lost up in the mountains,I would not be too concerned about privacy.

In reply to BoaseF:

I presume the dislikes are from folk who disagree with the use of drones in general. This would normally  include me, but in this instance I think they could be a perfect tool if it means saving a life.

In reply to Tigger:

I guess that they may be from people that realise that dogs are quite capable of searching during the hours of darkness and have a longer battery life than most drones

In reply to timjones:

And aren't so affected by high winds and rain.

Dogs also able to use smell and hearing that a drone can't.

In reply to LastBoyScout:

I'd have thought a dog would find it harder to sniff someone out on a windy day and that a drone can access and cover ground much more quickly.

Surely their roles are complimentary?

In reply to BoaseF:

Just strap the search dogs into jetpacks, fitted with cameras

Job done in one

How much do I win?

In reply to timjones: It is possible to use two things at the same time you know.  

In reply to Tigger:

Nope, they'll be from the folk disappointed that the OP hasn't bothered to check out whether MRT are using drones already, rather than just pontificating.

In reply to BoaseF:

It's not a privacy problem. So far as I'm aware for now at least remotely piloted aircraft (other than under strictly licenced trial conditions) still legally have to remain within sight of a human spotter to avoid potential conflict with other airspace users. Useless if you want to throw a UAV (or several) out into a rain lashed night to run an automated search grid over a wide area.

Personally I think the obsession with quad/hex copters is a bit myopic in this role, if you want to cover a lot of ground then a fast, efficient fixed wing platform is better and there's volume in the wings for antennae. The problem is safe recovery in bad conditions but there are options. Combine the search/route planning software with a highly detailed local forecasting tool and in most hill regions you can massively extend sortie time by exploiting the hill lift and avoiding the sink.

jk

In reply to Mike-W-99:

Also, on a slightly grander scale:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-53600780

In reply to BoaseF:

Be more ambitious 

youtube.com/watch?v=qL1WqN1XKK0&

In reply to wbo2:

I'm not sure why you think I am suggesting anything else?

It was the OP that suggested that drone could possibly be used instead of dogs, I merely highlighted one reason for the dislikes on their post.

In reply to Removed User:

They may find it harder but a well trained dog will still be able to work.

In reply to timjones:

Spose the flip side is a drone can just be put in a box in the store when its not needed. 

In reply to timjones:

Why not add an extra tool though? Sure dogs are efficient and have helped rescue countless people, but surley a drone with a thermal camera could be of significant use as well?

In reply to BoaseF:

Pretty sure these are used by mountain rescue in the puig de campagna in costa blanca?