20 minutes after launch, hobbyist’s drone finds man missing for 3 days

Electronic Products ^ | 07/25/2014 | Jeffrey Bausch

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Model aircraft able to do what dogs, volunteers, and helicopters could not

After authorities spent three days searching for a missing, elderly man in Wisconsin, a hobbyist launched his personal drone in a volunteer search effort and was able to locate the lost individual 20 minutes post launch.

During the initial search phase, authorities used dogs, helicopters, and employed local volunteers to comb the Fitchburg countryside in search of Guillermo DeVenecia, an 82-year-old man suffering from Alzheimer’s. David Lesh, a drone enthusiast who uses his personal model aircraft to make videos for his skiing and snowboarding business, was in town visiting his girlfriends’ family when he learned of the community-wide search. He decided to join in and use his drone to look at areas the missing man may have wandered into.

20 minutes after takeoff, Lesh spotted DeVencia stumbling around in a bean field.

Fortunately, a medical check showed DeVencia was only mildly dehydrated, despite having been gone for some 72 hours. During the post-discovery interview, DeVencia stated that he thought he had only been out for a short walk.

This feel-good story comes at an interesting time for drone technology as a whole, as it was only just recently that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) lost a court case brought by Texas-based firm EquuSearch, which had employed the use of small drones in its rescues missions (the company was barred by the FAA from the use of unmanned aircraft for commercial purposes in 2007).

Further driving the point home that drones could actually be useful and shouldn’t necessarily be limited under a blanket ban, in March 2014 a US court found that the FAA’s barring of the commercial use of drone was illegal because it had not done enough to solicit comment from the public.

While the FAA is appealing this decision, it has stated that representatives will take a closer look at rules governing drones, with the goal of having new laws in place by the end of 2015.

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Let no sparrow fall...

[kiryandil]

Well, that settles it.

This single feel-good anecdote clears the way for TOTAL SURVEILLANCE of the peasantry, 24/7/365

We should arm the savior-drones, too.

The man in this story was in danger from bean caterpillars, or sech-like.

[Delta 21]

If the cops can have ‘em, I want one. Or I get to shoot all the ones I see in the sky.

[Boogieman]

Hey, look on the bright side. When you slip in your shower, the thermal vision surveillance drones might notice and call an ambulance for you.

[Paladin2]

[Vince Ferrer]

If the cops can have ‘em, I want one.

I take a 2nd amendment approach to this as well. Citizens need to be able to have them too. Current laws concerning privacy and harassment, etc, can still apply to these, but we should be able to develop businesses with them and just tinker.

[bigbob]

this genie is out of the bottle, they cannot ban or restrict drones when the price will soon be to the point where they are disposable. It will be as silly as trying to ban phone cameras.

[Paladin2]

The popos now find cameras to be weapons and want to control their use by “the public”.

[Rebelbase]

A good way for ranchers and farmers to search for lost livestock.

[ladyellen]

My husband has one. They take awesome pics of the landside. People really need to chill out about hobbyist enjoying them.

[biff]

They will not ban them for hobby use but they will draw the line for commercial use and require some kind of licensing or regulations.

Otherwise, if you know the folks like I do, every damn one of them will trying to make money with their toys in order to pay for their hobby. The FAA controls the airspace over the US from ground level to ???? way up yonder and they are not about to let 50,000 drones wonder around with no control whatsoever. All it is going to take is for one of these idiots to have a fatal collision with an aircraft for their fun world to come to a screeching halt. It almost happened awhile back right over NYC when a couple a airliners nearly hit one with a reported 8’ wingspan.

[Tired of Taxes]

Marking to read tomorrow.

[Carry_Okie]

I want the right to control photography of my land equivalent to the rights I have to control images of my face.

IOW not without permission.

[SunkenCiv]

> 20 minutes after takeoff, Lesh spotted DeVencia stumbling around in a bean field.

Naturally this puff piece didn’t cover the chemtrails that always accompany drone activity. /s

[BwanaNdege]

Google Earth, SPOT and the evening weather news must drive you crazy then.

[Las Vegas Dave]

“FYI”, to the ping list..

[Freeport]

First off, this is, in my mind, an acceptable use:
- It was not used in a populated area
- it was used ONLY for search and rescue
- it was NOT near controlled airspace
- and it was used wisely (No other UAS in the area to generate possible RF interference.

Where I have a HUGE problem is the knuckle draggers who think operating their UAS amongst buildings, in controlled airspace, amongst crowds or by following someone is OK.

Being an RC hobbyist for 30+ years, I see today's MORONS as a lethal threat with they way they arrogantly use UAS.

[GOPJ]

Thanks for the ping

[Usagi_yo]

That’s what I want. I want to build a drone that’s a drone killer.

http://www.makershed.com/collections/drones-flight

I’m torn on what to do. Get a drone kit or get a lapidary saw or get a 3D printer.