DJI reveals optimal drone flying height for locating missing persons

Drones can be incredibly effective at finding missing persons since they can scan a large area quickly. But did you know there are several variables that can impact a drone’s ability during a search and rescue (SAR) mission?

One of these variables is the altitude at which the drone is flying. Sending the drone up too high could mean that the missing person is less than a pixel on your screen, and therefore impossible to detect even if you’re looking directly at them. Other factors include the gimbal’s position (slanted or top-down) and whether the missing person is expected to be standing up, walking, or lying down.

Related: Police: Without drone, locating Colorado senior would’ve been ‘nearly impossible’

For someone new to using drones in SAR missions, knowing how to leverage these different variables to get the best outcome may not be obvious. But after six years of extensive research into missing person searches, public safety company SkyBound…