A New Jersey man is using drone technology for a very different kind of mission: helping families find lost pets.
Michael Parziale, a New Jersey restaurant owner and FAA-licensed drone pilot, founded the U.S.A.R. Drone Team, a volunteer group that uses thermal-imaging drones to search woods, fields and other difficult areas for missing animals. The service is offered to families who may not be able to afford professional search assistance.
The drones are especially useful at night, when thermal cameras can detect the heat signature of an animal that may be hidden in brush, woods or other areas that would be difficult to search on foot.
The team has already helped reunite well over 120 pets with their families. In January, News 12 reported that the rescue of a dog named Abbie near the New Jersey Turnpike marked the team’s 123rd pet rescue. By March, the organization said its drones had helped reunite 135 missing pets with their families.
One case highlighted online involved a puppy that had been missing in cold weather for more than 24 hours and was located in just 41 minutes with the help of the drone team.
The organization’s work also has another purpose. U.S.A.R. provides hands-on drone training opportunities for military veterans, helping them build skills that can be used in fields such as aerial surveying, inspections and search-and-rescue operations.
The group suffered a setback earlier this year when one of its aircraft was destroyed in a crash at Manasquan Inlet. A fundraiser was launched to help cover roughly $25,000 in repair costs so the team could continue rescue missions and veteran training.
For families searching for a missing dog or cat, the technology can turn an exhausting search into something much more precise.
And in this case, drones are doing more than taking pictures from the sky.
They are helping bring pets home.
Sources: News 12 New Jersey; U.S.A.R. Drone Team; reporting and public information about Michael Parziale and the organization.
By NJ RADAR Team