Bay of Islands Volunteer Search and Rescue getting training in advanced drone usage and the technology

It can fly in high winds, wet conditions, and temperatures down to -20. The drone is also equipped with search lights, a speaker to communicate with people on the ground, as well as night and thermal imaging capabilities, and a high resolution camera with 112x zoom.I

The Bay of Islands Volunteer Search and Rescue team now includes two trained pilots to fly their newest piece of equipment, an advanced drone and technology, something they’ve been fundraising for during the past year. As well, several more members will be earning their final certifications now. BOISAR’s Shawn Street says this drone covers all the basics and more. It can fly in high winds, wet conditions, and temperatures down to -20. The drone is also equipped with search lights, a speaker to communicate with people on the ground, as well as night and thermal imaging capabilities, and a high resolution camera with 112x zoom.It can fly in high winds, wet conditions, and temperatures down to -20. The drone is also equipped with search lights, a speaker to communicate with people on the ground, as well as night and thermal imaging capabilities, and a high resolution camera with 112x zoom.

Street says the safety aspect of this equipment is its’ biggest advantage. He says they get calls to cliff areas or like this past winter when they were called to the ice to check if a snowmobile had gone through. Street says a drone will take that danger aspect out of it and check before members are sent to an area, making the response time quicker. 

Street says the drone itself cost about $16K and with the software, the total was about $25K. He says 12 members of the team completed training on Friday that included doing actual scenarios with the drone. Street says they had to complete the basic course first but the latest training covered setting up grid searches, using the dron effectively and overnight, as well as completing overlaps.

Street says it takes three people to use the drone during a search, one to fly it, a visual observer and a spotter.