Drones a 'game changer' for rescue teams

Drones have increasingly become an essential part of the toolkit of mountain rescue teams, according to Scotland's Search and Rescue Aerial Association.

There are 19 pilots and 21 drones across nine Scottish Mountain Rescue (SMR) member teams. There were none four years ago.

SARAA Scotland, which has eight of its own drones, provides pilot training.

Chairman Tom Nash said in a short number of years drone technology had developed from use in daytime only to having zoom-capable cameras, thermal imaging and floodlights for night-time missions.

Newer machines are also able to operate in some wind and rain.

Mr Nash said: "They also now have a speaker which allows us to communicate with people who are being rescued."

He said an important role of drones was in checking terrain, such as on cliffs, to help teams plot where it was safe to rope down to casualties.

Rescue teams have used drones to help them find people and assess terrain

Tim Hamlett, leader of Assynt MRT in the north west Highlands, described drones as a game changer in terms of missing person searches.

Last month, Assynt used a drone equipped with thermal imaging during the search for a vulnerable missing person.

Non-SMR teams, such as Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team, have also used drones in their work.