Vermont Drone provides life saving Aerial Search and Rescue (SAR) Services
Vermont Drone has a proven track record of safely locating numerous lost pets and animals for their owners, as well as participating in successful searches for missing persons and lost property. Our success stories serve as a testament to our unwavering commitment and capabilities, providing hope to those in dire need.
We may be able to assist locating a missing person, lost pet, or farm animal and direct rescuers to them but we cannot physically perform the rescue or recovery once located.
We will attempt to help with a search if the following criteria are met:
(If you are unsure about any of the criteria below, we are happy to discuss and determine eligibility with the missing person’s family or the animal’s owner.)
- For missing persons: We will defer to and coordinate with local or state law enforcement or rescue teams.
For lost pets or domesticated animals: A traditional search must already be underway. This involves posting signs around the neighborhood, sending messages to NextDoor, Front Porch Forum, Facebook, and other relevant platforms. Additionally, it’s important to reach out to neighbors who don’t use these services. - For the best results, the person or animal should have been last spotted within the last 24 hours within a general area of 2-3 square miles repeatedly, or repeatedly spotted within the last 24 hours traveling in a specific direction along a road, trail, river, brook, or other physical boundaries;
- Vegetation in the search area must be thin enough to still be able to spot the missing person or the size, color, and/or thermal signature of the lost animal from the air;
- Weather conditions and flight area must allow for safe takeoff/landing and flight operation. We cannot perform SAR missions at night or twilight, during snow, sleet, rain, fog/low visibility, or sustained winds over 20MPH;
- Flight area must be eligible for FAA/ATC flight authorization;
- For missing persons: Volunteers or professionals must be available on-site and can traverse the landscape to reunite with the lost person(s).
For lost pets/animals: Persons familiar with the pet/animal must be available on-site and can traverse the landscape to recover the animal if the animal is located.We highly suggest owners have an appropriately sized humane trap for the animal and treats/food ready, as most lost dogs and cats are in a “survival mode” or “panic mode” and are often very skiddish and no longer respond to their owners calling them, using trained commands, or approaching them. They may even run away again when approached by someone they have always trusted and responded to in the past. We’ll further advise you on what has worked best in the past.
Other conditions that might limit the odds of a successful search may also exclude our ability to assist or locate the person or animal.
Cost/Fees:
Unfortunately, the equipment and training required for these services are quite expensive. To cover costs such as wages, flights, maintaining our gear, fuel, insurance, and other expenses, we need to charge a non-refundable fee upfront. This fee varies based on the location, equipment used, staff availability, and other related factors. Typically, within Vermont, it ranges from $375 to $775 for the first two hours onsite.
We accept donations on behalf of anyone who cannot afford these services.
How to hire us:
To engage our SAR services, please fill out the following form for a no-obligation quote.