Originally Posted by
Nige321
No.
But I have worked on DSTL UAV projects and have seen the huge leap in capabilities over the last few years.
It's coming, like it or not...
Then your frame of reference is skewed. If you have worked on SAR you KNOW what works. Your UAV capabilities may well have made a huge leap at this point however, you still don't know whether it would be as efficient or as capable at finding the missing person. Even if you did, as the point has been made, you will still have to call in a real helicopter and flight crew to get the job finished. I have worked in conjunction with drones and I can see benefits and a great many limitations, still a very long way from replacing a SAR helicopter and crew.