Meet Scout…..the weatherproof, night time search and rescue FPV

[Slozukimc]

Hey All. This is Scout, my search and rescue FPV. It is set up with a custom Phantomrain wetsuit, prop guards, gimbal guard, Suptig 84 led waterproof diving/flood light and Drone Owl spotlight. I was worried about the weight but it seems to fly just fine. It illuminates well enough with the flood light for searching inside buildings that are too dangerous or inaccessible to seach on foot and the spot works great for seeing what is on the ground from a bit further up.

I also have a 3DR X8 set up with an FPV cam that I want to set up with a small first aid/survival drop kit so once a subject is found with the FPV, the X8 can quickly deliver water and/or first aid supplies quicker than first responders can get there. I honestly hope I never have to use them for anything other than demonstration and fun.

What do ya think?

Mike

 

[harleydude]

When drone S&R first became a thing, I thought I would get involved. I quickly learned that a drone can find nothing in real time. I couldn't even find my girlfriend walking her dog in our neighborhood. It was a complete failure. It doesn't matter how expensive or outfitted the drone. Finding people obscured by woods in a tiny iPad screen or FPV goggles is just a pipe dream. Only when people are out in the open with tents or fires or other gear do drones stand a chance. And whenever I query S&R drone pilots if they've ever actually successfully found someone - just the drone...not a bevy of other S&R kit like dogs and trucks and helicopters and GPS beacons, etc. - I'm always met with very vague answers.

It is my personal belief that drone S&R will only be viable when we see a deep increase in IR technology. I'm talking like 4K IR that can sense human temperature from 500' away. This, coupled with a large, 50"+ 4K screen at the home base MAY net positive results. But as it stands, finding a person (usually a hiker) via goggles or an iPad screen from an altitude high enough to cover any appreciable area (even as small as 100 acres) is not achievable with today's technology.

I will concede that drones are helpful if the search area is small enough and targeted enough. So there have been a handful of successes.... And perhaps a review of footage on a large, 4K screen post-flight MIGHT find somethings. But from what I've seen, using drones for wide area searches in real time is just a pipe dream. Even with IR.

Discuss.

D

 

[brandonstreet]

The thermal cameras do rather well for S&R in that respect. A buddy of mine has helped find quite a few dogs utilizing his DJI M30T.. Cool little build though! May be worth throwing GPS on it if you are flying in tight spaces to give you that added position lock control.

 

[Slozukimc]

When drone S&R first became a thing, I thought I would get involved. I quickly learned that a drone can find nothing in real time. I couldn't even find my girlfriend walking her dog in our neighborhood. It was a complete failure. It doesn't matter how expensive or outfitted the drone. Finding people obscured by woods in a tiny iPad screen or FPV goggles is just a pipe dream. Only when people are out in the open with tents or fires or other gear do drones stand a chance. And whenever I query S&R drone pilots if they've ever actually successfully found someone - just the drone...not a bevy of other S&R kit like dogs and trucks and helicopters and GPS beacons, etc. - I'm always met with very vague answers.

It is my personal belief that drone S&R will only be viable when we see a deep increase in IR technology. I'm talking like 4K IR that can sense human temperature from 500' away. This, coupled with a large, 50"+ 4K screen at the home base MAY net positive results. But as it stands, finding a person (usually a hiker) via goggles or an iPad screen from an altitude high enough to cover any appreciable area (even as small as 100 acres) is not achievable with today's technology.

I will concede that drones are helpful if the search area is small enough and targeted enough. So there have been a handful of successes.... And perhaps a review of footage on a large, 4K screen post-flight MIGHT find somethings. But from what I've seen, using drones for wide area searches in real time is just a pipe dream. Even with IR.

Discuss.

D

Agreed. This is,like you say, for smaller areas and inside buildings that may not be safe to enter on foot. I live where there a LOT of ravines and creeks I can easily fly up through in minutes at just above ground level. Places that may take an hour or more to climb/walk to. Some of them have old, empty mills and such that kids like to explore. That is the reason for the lighting. The flood will light up a small ravine very well.

Mike

 

[Slozukimc]

The thermal cameras do rather well for S&R in that respect. A buddy of mine has helped find quite a few dogs utilizing his DJI M30T.. Cool little build though! May be worth throwing GPS on it if you are flying in tight spaces to give you that added position lock control.

I dream of a thermal camera for my Inspire!! Such a useful tool.

It is a DJI FPV so it does have GPS. I have been practicing flying in and out of every narrow gap I can find around my house. Super glad I got the prop guards that every review said were no good. They have saved me several times. They would be useless at real FPV speeds but for my slow scanning around they are great.

Mike

 

[brandonstreet]

Doh! I didn't even realize it was a DJI FPV. Thought it was an acro quad. You are already set with GPS and position lock. Cool little flying potato! Never seen one outfitted like that

 

[Slozukimc]

Doh! I didn't even realize it was a DJI FPV. Thought it was an acro quad. You are already set with GPS and position lock. Cool little flying potato! Never seen one outfitted like that

Lmao! Flying potato! You just named my other DJI FPV……Spud.

Mike

 

[mrprop]

Hey All. This is Scout, my search and rescue FPV. It is set up with a custom Phantomrain wetsuit, prop guards, gimbal guard, Suptig 84 led waterproof diving/flood light and Drone Owl spotlight. I was worried about the weight but it seems to fly just fine. It illuminates well enough with the flood light for searching inside buildings that are too dangerous or inaccessible to seach on foot and the spot works great for seeing what is on the ground from a bit further up.

I also have a 3DR X8 set up with an FPV cam that I want to set up with a small first aid/survival drop kit so once a subject is found with the FPV, the X8 can quickly deliver water and/or first aid supplies quicker than first responders can get there. I honestly hope I never have to use them for anything other than demonstration and fun.

What do ya think?

Mike

Really nice setup you have. Can you post a link for those lights?

 

[Slozukimc]

Really nice setup you have. Can you post a link for those lights?

Thank you.

Suptig Underwater Lights Dive Light 84 LED High Power Dimmable Waterproof LED Video Light Waterproof 164ft(50m) for Gopro Canon Nikon Pentax Panasonic Sony Samsung SLR Cameras Black Amazon.com

This is the big one.

The other one was from ebay and was called a drone owl spotlight. It is ok but I probably would look for better. The big light is impressive for 40 bucks.