Holiday Miracle: 78-Year-Old Man with Dementia Found Using Drones
A 78-year-old man with dementia who went missing two days before Christmas in Malibu was found within hours with the help of drones equipped with thermal imaging cameras, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
The man was reported missing at 7:30 p.m. on December 23, after he left his home to retrieve his mail at 4:30 p.m. but did not return. Despite a search of the area, he could not be found. The search and rescue team used drones to search the area, and at 8:50 p.m. that same day, the drones located the man lying in a field of thick brush off the side of a roadway about a quarter-mile from his home.
Upon arriving on the scene, rescuers found the man suffering from cold-related illness, confused and unable to walk. He was evaluated, wrapped in a blanket, and placed in a rescue basket before being transported by paramedics to a local hospital. His condition was unknown.
The Sheriff’s Department credited the use of drones with the successful rescue, saying it showed the value of using drones in search and rescue operations. The American Civil Liberties Union also praised the use of drones, citing their many beneficial uses, including search and rescue operations, scientific research, and mapping. However, the ACLU also expressed concerns about the potential misuse of drones to violate people’s privacy rights.