Team members have CAA approval to use drones in searches. Photo: Buxton MRT
A Peak District team said it is the first mountain rescue team in England and Wales to be granted approval to use drones in its operations.
The Buxton team said the Civil Aviation Authority authorisation will allow its drone team to use the unmanned aircraft to search for missing persons in places where access is difficult or unsafe for team members.
The approval is the culmination of a project started nearly 18 months ago by two team members, Roger Bennett and Carney James Turner, who had a chance conversation with staff of the Pure Buxton magazine.
The project started with an advertising campaign led by Pure Buxton, which resulted in contributions from organisations including Derbyshire County Council, High Peak Borough Council, Buxton Billerettes, Poynton Round Table and Women’s Institutes, together with many other donations from individuals who just want to help.
In total nearly £10,000 has been raised to purchase the drones and train the pilots.
The team has eight trained pilots, known locally as the ‘Drone Team’, ready to search for missing persons on callouts.
Team leader Neil Carruthers said: “The approval from the CAA demonstrates that they have the confidence that the systems and procedures the rescue team has in place are safe and effective.
“I am delighted that we are the first mountain rescue team in England and Wales to successfully gain approval to use drones for search and rescue. The drones will allow the team to search areas such as boulder fields, water margins, moorlands, crags and difficult ground.
“The drone technology will complement our other search resources such as team members on the ground and the search dogs, all of which have an important part to contribute in search operations”.
“I would like to congratulate all the team who have been involved in the training and especially the pilots who have demonstrated not only a good theoretical knowledge, but also the ability to plan drone operations as well as practical competence in the safe use of our unmanned aerial vehicles.”
A team spokesperson also expressed thanks to Brendan O’Neil from Derby Mountain Rescue Team who gave up a great deal of his personal time to help train its pilots, and to RUAS Unmanned Aviation Services, the drone-training provider who supported the pilots in gaining certification.
