Drone helps police find missing hiker in Alaska
The Anchorage Police Department was able to save a lost hiker that ventured off-trail using a drone that could not only pinpoint her location, but could also communicate to her through a loudspeaker.
The police department took to social media to share their success story with the tag #FeelGoodFriday and wrote: “We thought maybe you could use a good old-fashioned police story right about now that had a happy ending.”
Gusting winds covered the hiker’s footsteps in the snow, which caused her to become disoriented and lost. Since she was only able to describe her general surroundings over the phone, the police used a drone to scan the woods.
The police department’s Facebook post explained that their drone has both a camera and a loudspeaker that lets them communicate with individuals that they cannot access on foot. They stated that they were able to locate the hiker within 15 minutes of the drone launching and say that she was “really happy to hear the mysterious voice in the sky.”
Several officers were then able to travel to the missing hiker and helped her return safely, all while trekking six feet apart.
“All's well that ends well! We got her out safe and sound. See? Don’t you feel all warm and fuzzy inside now? Stories that make the heart happy are the best kind. Heaven knows we can use as many of those as we can get right now,” the police department’s Facebook post concluded.
