Top Considerations when Evaluating Lost Animal Search Effectiveness
Top Considerations for Aerial Lost Pet Search
Not all drones have the equipment to maximize the odds of successfully reuniting a lost pet.
Thermal Imaging Sensors
Thermal sensors are an essential component for aerial lost pet searches. They are one of the most effective tools for detection of warm-blooded animals at a distance.
The Need for Spotlights
Spotlights are crucial when searching for a lost pet. They allow for the zoom camera to be leveraged in low-light conditions – which is often the case for Lost Pet Search and Rescue in Texas.
The Use of Powerful Zoom Cameras
Powerful zoom cameras are essential for identifying what’s being seen on the thermal sensor.
Considering Climate Conditions
Climate considerations are important when employing a drone for a lost pet search. Thermography depends on differences in temperature between the target and the environment.
Time of Day Considerations
The time of day can also have an impact on the effectiveness of a lost pet search. The sun’s radiation is constantly being absorbed by the environment. Searches in Texas often need to be done while the sun is set.
Thermal Sensors
The singular most important piece of equipment for animal search and rescue.
Detection in Low Visibility
Thermal sensors look for thermal energy being radiated from objects. They don’t rely on visible light, making them available for use at night and are unimpeded by fog or dense vegetation.
Less Environmental Interference
Thermal sensors identify the body heat of pets in various conditions. They don’t rely on light making them available for use at night, and are unimpeded by fog or dense vegetation.
Thermal sensors are the most effective way to locate mammals as they ignore characteristics such as color and texture – characteristics which make searching in the visual spectrum very unlikely to yield a positive outcome.
They instead focus on one characteristic that is unique to living things – heat generation and radiation – to find the missing animal.
This thermal image was captured the very same moment as the images in the “Zoom Optics” and “Spotlight” sections below.
Powerful Zoom Optics are Essential
Where thermal cameras are essential for detection, powerful zoom optics are essential for identification.
Heat Signature Identification
Thermal cameras have excellent detection ability, but generally fall short in the ability to make a positive identification of an animal. At times even confirmation that it’s an animal at all is technically challenging.
Visual Confirmation
Is it a Coyote or a German Shepard Dog? Based on the data from the thermal camera alone this would be a difficult conclusion to arrive at.
Powerful zoom optics allow the operator to closely examine the features of the animal, and in turn grant the ability to determine whether or not this is the animal of interest.
Most consumer drones lack the necessary zoom capabilities to perform a search from the air. Whether a thermal camera is being used or not, having a visual camera without these capabilities makes it virtually impossible for most drones to effectively spot an animal the size of a dog from the air.
This zoom camera image was captured at the very same moment as the images in the “Thermal Sensors” (above) and “Spotlight” (below) sections
Choosing the Right Time of Day
When is the best time to use drones for lost pet rescue?
Early Morning Hours
The environment has shed the maximum amount of radiation that was absorbed during the day.
Evening Hours
Animals tend to take find shelter from the blistering sun during the day, potentially in areas that are difficult to spot from the air.
Animals tend to come out of their shelters and move around during these hours.
Climate Considerations
With thermal sensors being the primary means of search, the Texas climate plays an important role.
Thermal Considerations
Thermal sensors, as the name suggests, can be thought of as heat detectors. In the scorching Texas climate, the apparent temperature of the environment plays an important role.
Night-Time Operations
Lost Pet Search is most effective when the sun is not out and objects aren’t under solar loading. Lost dog searches are typically done between sunset and sunrise for this reason.
The drone operator will take these factors into consideration when deciding when to come out and begin the search.
The Need For a Spotlight
A powerful zoom camera lacks effectiveness without a spotlight as most searches are conducted in low-light / night-time conditions.
Optical Systems Require Light
Zoom cameras are optical systems based on the reflection of visible light off of objects. Without an illumination system, zoom cameras are out of play during nighttime operations.
Identification
Without a means to visually identify a target, the chances or false positives and false negatives are immensely higher.
A small dog curled up in a ball may look just like a warm rock when looking at a creek bed on the thermal camera. Being able to illuminate the target and zoom in with the thermal camera allows the operator to comfortably conclude whether the heat signature is an animal or not, and positively identify the animal. It may be impossible to do so without a spotlight and a powerful zoom camera.
This wide camera image was captured at the very same moment as the images in the “Thermal Sensors” and “Zoom Camera” sections above.
Powerful Drone Technology
Discover the cutting-edge technology behind our drone lost pet search service.
Thermal Radiometric Sensors
Our drones are equipped with state-of-the-art thermal radiometric sensors to detect body heat of lost pets from a distance, making our search efforts more efficient and practical.
Powerful Zoom Cameras
With high-powered zoom cameras, our drones can capture clear and detailed images of lost pets from above, helping us to quickly identify them and reunite them with their families.
Spotlights and Illumination
In addition to thermal and zoom capabilities, our drones also have spotlights to illuminate dark areas and increase visibility during night searches, allowing for precise identification.
Climate and Time of Day Considerations
Our team carefully considers weather conditions and the time of day when planning our drone searches to ensure optimal visibility and success rates in finding lost pets.