Drones have become a nuisance for many hikers despite strict laws prohibiting their use in US National Parks and other wilderness areas. But this recent story out of Arizona proves they can also be used for good.
Earlier this month, a helicopter flying a routine patrol over Phoenix’s Camelback Mountain spotted a hiker attempting to signal for help. A local rescue team set up a command post at the bottom, but soon realized they would not be able to reach the stranded man until morning. Rescuers knew the department’s drones could do the job faster and more effectively. So, they launched a delivery drone to deliver food, water, a blanket, and a smartphone to the man atop Camel’s Head. They were able to make multiple flights up and down the mountain to ensure the man’s safety until they could mount a full rescue effort at dawn.
The Phoenix Fire Department has been using DJI’s M 30T delivery drones to monitor area wildfires since 2022. Each unit is equipped with thermal imaging cameras that provide a full picture of the fires, helping the department manage and extinguish them in real time. That technology, along with the drones’ ability to carry a six-pound payload, also makes them perfect for search-and-rescue efforts. The department has used drones to locate hikers and drop supplies in a previous tree rescue, but this marks their first use on a mountain.
The main concern with these drones is cost. According to an interview in Backpacker magazine with Kenneth Overton, program coordinator for the Phoenix Fire Department’s drones and a drone pilot himself, each drone costs upwards of $15,000. But, compared to the alternative — paying human rescuers to trudge up and down a mountain, and possibly enlist the help of a helicopter — it seems a small price to pay.
