When a hiker became lost after dark in a wooded area outside of Santa Cruz, California, a drone was able to locate the individual and lead him or her to safety. The response to the use of a drone is mixed, with some people saying they think it’s creepy that drones can find them in the woods. But, then again, if you become lost, isn’t that a good thing?
“Last night, officers from the Santa Cruz Police Department responded to a report of a lost hiker in Pogonip,” wrote the Santa Cruz Police Department in an Instagram post sharing an image taken by the drone. “The individual had taken an unfamiliar trail and, after sunset, was unable to find their way out.”
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Equipped with thermal-imaging capabilities, the drone helped first responders locate the hiker. Then, the hiker reportedly followed the drone until he or she safely exited the trail.
“Drone: ‘Come with me if you want to live,’” joked one person in the comments section.
“Well, here is the gateway to mass surveillance. The woods [aren’t] safe anymore either,” lamented another.
See the lost hiker as seen by the thermal-imaging drone here:
Header stock image by Slavica/Getty Images