(LONDON, ON) – For the second time in recent months, the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) has directly assisted in the rescue of missing persons. A second event occurred in Lanark County of East Region where a hiker was reported missing and later found.
The latest incident began in the area of Perth County of West Region on Friday October 14, 2016 after the OPP received a call to search for a missing male party. Information from the family revealed that the victim, who was suffering from dementia had wondered off into an adjacent corn field around 6:00 p.m. and police were not contacted until 7:47p.m., arriving at 8:00 p.m.
The OPP Emergency Response Team (ERT) and K-9 were deployed and ready to go sixty minutes later. At 9:55 p.m., the OPP UAS located the heat signature of the victim walking approximately 1.3 kilometres from the residence in the corn field. ERT members were directed to this party who was approximately 100’ into the deep corn.
The victim was subsequently rescued weak and hypothermic. He was transported to awaiting EMS for treatment.
The attached photo shows a view from the UAS depicting the OPP ERT Members and K9 handler being directed to the suspect. The people are depicted by black dots on the screen.
Presently the OPP has 11 of the Sky Ranger Platforms deployed across the province of Ontario. This piece of kit was developed in Waterloo Ontario by Aeryon Labs making this even a greater success story of local business partnership.
The OPP UAS is continues to serve and enhance the Search and Rescue capabilities with the OPP.
