Hikers in Kosciuszko rescued within five hours by AI-powered drone

Two men in their 20s who veered off the Dead Horse Gap track in Kosciuszko national park were found within five hours after being reported missing at 7pm. The pair had been about 35km south-west of Jindabyne and were located roughly half a kilometre off the track.

Fire and Rescue NSW deployed its remote air piloted system, using thermal imaging to locate the hikers. The pair used a red light on a mobile phone to attract the drone in the dark; the drone’s built-in speaker contacted them and its spotlight directed rescuers on the ground to guide them out of the park.

Found in cold conditions, the men suffered mild effects of exposure but told rescuers they did not need medical treatment. FRNSW said this was the first time the service’s drone AI detection system had been used to rescue missing people. Phillip Eberle, the Fire and Rescue inspector and regional duty commander for the NSW Alpine area, said the technology potentially reduced the search time by several days.

Australia, New South Wales

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