West Virginia Division of Natural Resources official says drones speed search-and-rescue

An official with the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources told attendees that the agency's drone program has shortened response times in search-and-rescue operations, citing a recent incident in Tucker County where a drone reached two lost hikers before ground crews.

The official said the DNR's program is used for "disaster relief and recovery and law enforcement" and highlighted thermal imaging as a key technology. "It just makes things much quicker," the speaker said, describing how a drone can be launched and arrive on scene more rapidly than traditional responses.

The presenter said the drone operator team currently includes 18 pilots and that the agency has 12 drones issued around the state with thermal capabilities. To operate for the DNR, staff are "Part 107 certified" and hold licenses through the Federal Aviation Administration, the speaker added.

Describing a recent deployment, the official said two hikers lost in a national forest in Tucker County were reached by a drone first. "We didn't have to wait for a ground crew to respond and go in and bring them out. They just followed the drone out," the speaker said, using the episode to illustrate how a drone can speed rescue and reduce time on scene.

A staff member who spoke during the same remarks said calling for a helicopter can take hours, "when a drone can be minutes away," and added that using a drone to help find and save someone would be personally meaningful.

The presentation focused on operational capability and response-time advantages; the speaker did not provide details about program funding, procurement timelines, or plans for expansion during these remarks.