Law enforcement agencies will use special drones to search for a missing person

The Aitkin County Sheriff’s Office uses drones that run a special color recognition program used in missing person cases.

It’s part of the county’s new approach to searching the woods for possible clues when someone goes missing.

“When we’re in rescue mode, boots on the ground, dogs, foot searches, fixed wing, but then as time goes on we may need to do data collection, we need to map the area,” Earl Bakke said. , a volunteer drone pilot with ScenePhoto360 who assisted the Aitkin County Sheriff’s Office during a recent search.

Bakke launches a drone that hovers over the search area and photographs the specific area.

After landing, the drone’s images are analyzed by a special computer program that looks for unique color down to the pixel.

Bakke runs a program to find a color—often in the missing person’s clothing.

Last month, a drone captured more than 58,000 photos during a law enforcement search in Aitkin County.

Crews were trying to find clues from a 23-year-old woman who went missing from Savannah Portage State Park.

“He does math. That’s it—every color has a profile,” Bakke said.

If the program detects a color, the information can be relayed to searchers on the ground so they can check the area for clues.

Aitkin County Sheriff Dan Guida said this new technology is part of their search efforts. “The thought of losing someone is terrible,” said Sheriff Dan Guida of Aitkin County. “My search and rescue teams are some of the most dedicated in the state of Minnesota.”

The Aitkin County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue team uses its own drone, which collects images that can be analyzed for evidence. Earlier this year, Bakke’s drone spotted red on a missing man’s jacket and helped other authorities find the remains in the woods in northern Minnesota.