Firefighter's Personal Drone Assists In Rescue Of Stranded Hikers | Aero-News Network
Aero-News Network
RSS icon RSS feed
podcast icon MP3 podcast
Subscribe Aero-News e-mail Newsletter Subscribe

Airborne Unlimited -- Most Recent Daily Episodes

Episode Date

Airborne-Monday

Airborne-Tuesday

 Airborne-Wednesday Airborne-Thursday

Airborne-Friday

Airborne On YouTube

Airborne-Unlimited-10.27.25

AirborneNextGen-
10.28.25

Airborne-Unlimited-10.29.25

Airborne-Unlimited-10.30.25

AirborneUnlimited-10.17.25

Mon, May 28, 2018

Firefighter's Personal Drone Assists In Rescue Of Stranded Hikers

Two People And Their Incapacitated Dog Became Disoriented During A Canyon Hike

When two hikers and their dog became lost in Otero Canyon in the Tonto National Forest just east of Phoenix, NM, their rescue was helped by a local firefighter flying his personal drone. But it was not part of the search effort.

Television station KOAT reports that one of the hikers called 911 on May 12 about 1700 local time to say they were lost. A five-person SAR team was dispatched, including the firefighter and his drone.  

Within an hour, the hikers had been located, according to Bernalillo County Fire Department Lt. David Lujan. But then the team also became disoriented, he said. The firefighter who was part of the team and had packed his drone into the canyon deployed the aircraft and had it hover over their location. The aircraft helped the team find their way out of the canyon.

Lujan said that the department had been considering purchasing drones before the rescue, but "this particular mission ... proved that it could work," he said.

(Image provided by the Bernalillo County Fire Department)

FMI: Original report

Advertisement

More News

NTSB Final Report: Dehavilland DHC-2 MK 1

During The Forced Landing, The Airplane’s Float Struts And Spreaderbars Collapsed Analysis: While en route to a remote fishing lodge in a float-equipped airplane, one of the >[...]

Aero-News: Quote of the Day (10.29.25)

"X-59 is a symbol of American ingenuity. The American spirit knows no bounds. It's part of our DNA – the desire to go farther, faster, and even quieter than anyone has ever g>[...]

ANN's Daily Aero-Linx (10.29.25)

Aero Linx: The Honourable Company of Air Pilots The advancement of the public interest by the promotion of safety for all those who are employed in connection with or who travel by>[...]

ANN's Daily Aero-Term (10.30.25): Minimum Friction Level

Minimum Friction Level The friction level specified in AC 150/5320-12, Measurement, Construction, and Maintenance of Skid Resistant Airport Pavement Surfaces, that represents the m>[...]

ANN's Daily Aero-Linx (10.30.25)

Aero Linx: Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) For over 100 years, the American aerospace and defense industry has shaped the world around us. From the first flight to the moon >[...]

blog comments powered by Disqus



Change Display

Headlines Only | Headlines w/ Teasers | View Everything

Advertisement

Top Videos

Airborne 10.03.25: Phantom 3500 Buy, ‘Chinese Military Company’, NOTAM Redesign

Airborne Affordable Flyers 10.02.25: MOSAIC Start Date, AFE25 Tickets, ePulitzer

Airborne 10.01.25: New Gulfstream G300, Affordable Flying Expo Tkts, Starship 11

See All

Advertisement

Podcasts

Advertisement

© 2007 - 2025 Web Development & Design by Pauli Systems, LC