Drones have many useful applications in the public and private sectors but few are as emotionally satisfying to drone operators as the opportunity to find and rescue a lost or missing person.  Search and rescue (or SAR drones) are an important part of the drone arsenal of many police and fire departments frequently called upon to find a hiker lost in the wilderness or a baby or elderly person that has wandered off leaving family members distraught.

But these aren’t just one-off activities.  After a cataclysmic natural disaster or an extreme weather event, dozens and even hundreds of people can find themselves displaced and in need of emergency rescue.  In these settings, dedicated drone-equipped civilian volunteers working in tandem with disaster relief authorities can make the difference between life and death, not just a few individuals but for entire communities.

Currently, North Carolina – which ranks #6 on the list of America’s most “drone-friendly” states, according to the Virginia-based Mercatus Center – has some of the most highly trained and well-equipped civilian drone teams in place to support SAR and other emergency response missions.

One such team is the North Carolina Wing Group (NCWG) which has been assisting the state’s Emergency Management Division for over a decade to find and rescue missing persons during natural disasters, especially hurricanes.  Under a grant from the US Department of Homeland Security the NCWG just obtained 10 military-grade Teal 2 drones – some of the most advanced SAR drones currently available commercially.

Previously the NCWG operated with just 4 less advanced drones and could only assist sparingly and in one or two locales, usually to help find a single lost or missing person.  The tripling in size of its drone arsenal will allow the NCWG not only to operate the length of the state but also to respond to requests for emergency assistance in surrounding drone-poor states like Tennessee (which ranks #29 on the Mercatus list) and South Carolina (which ranks #43).

But it’s not just the number of new drones but also their capabilities that marks such a huge breakthrough.

Teal 2 drones come equipped with the most advanced FLIR thermal imaging cameras available, which means the NCWG can now operate at night, identifying persons invisible in the dark based on their heat signature alone. The group can also preposition its drones in several areas of the state known for their vulnerability to disasters to allow for an even more rapid response to local rescue needs.

And with its expanded drone arsenal, the group can also diversify its operations, adding post-disaster damage and recovering assessments to its expanding repertoire.

“This is an exciting time for the North Carolina Wing,” said Capt. Ralph Newcomb, the group’s assistant director of operations for unmanned aerial vehicles, after receiving news of the grant six weeks ago.

The Teal 2 is well-known in military and civilian circles alike for its lightweight rugged durability.  The drone weighs less than 3 pounds but can outperform drones more than twice its size.  It has a top flight speed of 22 mph and a flight time of 30 minutes per battery. Its manufacturer, Teal Drones, is a subsidiary of the military technology company Red Cat Holdings Inc.

Red Cat recently ceased production and sales of most of its civilian FPV drones and rededicated itself to work in the defense sector.  The Teal 2, in fact, is now widely used for night-time missions along the US-Mexico border and for military surveillance and SAR operations overseas, including most recently, in the Ukraine.

“Our partnership with the North Carolina Wing is a great example of how technology developed for military purposes can also be used for civilian purposes – helping to keep Americans safe at home,” George Matus, Teal Drones founder and CEO told Civil Air Patrol News in May.

North Carolina can use all the help it can get.  The Tarheel State ranks #8 on the list of states most impacted by natural disasters (even ahead of Florida, at #9) and is tied for 3rd (with Louisiana) on the list of states that suffer the most hurricanes.