A swift response involving police officers and cutting-edge drone technology led to the rapid location and rescue of an elderly man experiencing a suspected medical episode near Canterbury.
Kent Police were called at 5:50 PM on Sunday, November 9, to assist South East Coast Ambulance Service in locating a man in his 70s in the Upstreet area. The man had called for help, stating he was unwell and confused, and could only describe his location as a rural area he did not recognise.
A missing man from Canterbury was located by a police drone just 20 minutes after he called for help.
- 5:53 PM: Officers arrived on the scene and quickly determined that the extensive search area required additional resources.
- 6:00 PM: A specialist Drone Support Unit responded. A drone equipped with a thermal imaging camera and a spotlight was immediately launched to search the surrounding fields.
Officers maintained phone contact with the patient, relaying crucial information to the drone operator and paramedics on the ground.
The drone’s advanced capabilities proved instrumental. At 6:10 PM, a clear heat signature was identified by the drone operator, approximately 500 metres from the initial search point.
Within minutes, officers reached the man, safely locating him and transferring him into the care of medical professionals. The entire operation, from the initial emergency call to the man being safely found, was completed in just 30 minutes.
Chief Inspector Adam Duke said:
‘This incident shows how vital our drone technology is in saving lives. Within minutes we were able to cover a large rural area that would have taken much longer on foot and locate a member of the public who was in need of help. So far in 2025, we can directly attribute eleven incidents where a high-risk missing person has been located by using a drone. Cutting edge technology like this allows us to respond faster and more effectively to keep our community safe.’