Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service’s (MAWWFRS) Urban Search and Team (USAR) hosted a two-day Drone trial in the Brecon Beacons recently.

The exercise was the second phase of a European Emergency Number Association (EENA) project which saw MAWWFRS participating in a series of wide area search activities. The trial tested the effectiveness of this cutting-edge technology at search and rescue operations, by pitting the drone and a conventional search team against a traditional ground search only team to locate persons (posing as casualties or missing persons) within the mountain range.

Over the course of the two days, 32 individual trials were conducted to gather meaningful and scientific data to prove, or disprove, the advantage of deploying drones to support wide area search and rescue efforts.

The results of the trial will be reported at the EENA submit in September, where MAWWFRS will be represented by a keynote speaker.

Speaking during the trial, Group Manager Steve McLinden said, “This is a very exciting project to be a part of, as the use of a drone to assist teams during searches for missing people, can potentially reduce the time taken to locate the individual and lessen the physical burden upon the search teams.

We, along with Donegal Mountain Rescue Team, are the only search and rescue services in Europe who have been chosen to participate in the EENA trials. This reflects our vision to be a world leader in emergency response and community safety.”