Northants Search and Rescue launch drone fundraiser

Northamptonshire Search and Rescue (NSAR) has launched a fundraiser to purchase a drone, which would be used to save lives in critical missing people searches.

The charity rescue team say drones will help save lives and reduce reliance on police helicopters.

Neil Balderson, search manager at NSAR, said: "People can go missing or lost for any number of reasons. It could be a child or someone with dementia, or someone who has disappeared and doesn't want to be found.

"Speed of response is really important, time saves lives.

"We start as a team, which is how we operate, and our foot teams are good and cover ground quickly but when we get the police air service helicopter, they cover a lot of ground very, very quickly."

However, police helicopters are expensive, in high demand and can be called to support other operations.

Neil said: "What we have concluded is that the best solution is to get a drone. The police have been investing in drone technology.

"A drone will be around £2,500 to £3,000 plus training and insurance."

He said NSAR would have a trained pilot for the drone and an observer. The team would follow all Civil Aviation Authority rules and regulations.

Neil also said the major benefit of being in the air means people can be spotted in places they would never be seen by teams on foot, like in long grass.

Another benefit is searching at night time as the drone would have thermal camera to pick up on body heat when teams have reduced visibility.

NSAR are fundraising for the drone because it is a charity which provides a 24/7 callout service to Northamptonshire's emergency services to search for missing people. It relies on donations and like most charities, it is feeling the hit of lockdown after cancelled fundraising events.

Lockdown has not reduced the need for NSAR's services and Neil says they have been called out several times, including a few searches that lasted for multiple days.

He said: "We hope we are never going to be needed but we are always ready.

"During the Covid-19 crisis people's mental health is suffering more and we have had callouts."

On the charity's fundraising page, NSAR said: "Drone technologies are proving to be powerful and useful in the search and rescue environment. They are rapidly deployable and cost-effective in comparison to helicopters.

"Many of our sister rescue teams in the UK are already operating them, and they are reporting positively about their use.

"We are always looking to improve how we work and save more lives, the team now believes this is the right next step. With the price of drones becoming more achievable for us a small charity it has been decided to undertake this fundraising now."

The charity estimates the drone hardware and primary camera will cost around £2,000. A thermal camera will be an additional £550, a spotlight will be £250 and insurance will be another £1,100.

If you want to support the charity's appeal for a drone, you can donate here.