A police drone pilot helped find and bring urgent help to a vulnerable missing man.
After concerns were raised for the man’s welfare on Thursday, officers were deployed to the Calverton area in a bid to find him.
Believing he may be in open fields, officers requested the help of a police drone to rapidly search a large area of land.
Using thermal imaging technology, the pilot soon spotted the man and was able to direct officers on the ground to his location shortly before midnight.
Sergeant Vince Saunders, chief drone pilot at Nottinghamshire Police, said:
“It’s in situations like this when our drone pilots really come into their own – when time is of the essence and we really need to find someone.
“Using the thermal imaging technology at our disposal, we are quickly able to rule out large areas of land and gradually zone in on key areas of interest.
“I am pleased we were able to be of assistance in this case, and to bring this man the help and support he needed.”
Nottinghamshire Police’s drones unit operates a fleet of seven aircraft for reactive and pre-planned operations across the city and county. They are flown by officers who volunteer for drone shift in addition to their additional duties.
