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Halton Police use of drone to find person in crisis 'likely saved a life'

Person located three hours after going missing in heavily-wooded area of Oakville
061322HaltonRegionalPoliceMH
Halton Regional Police file photo

Halton Regional Police say they used an advanced drone system over the weekend to successfully locate a person in crisis.

At approximately 6 p.m. on Sunday (Jan. 28), police were notified of a person in crisis who had gone missing in the area of Neyagawa Boulevard and Dundas Street West in Oakville.

Due to the heavily-wooded areas and bodies of water in the vicinity of the search, police say the HRPS Collision Reconstruction Unit was deployed to assist with the use of their Remote Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS), commonly referred to as a drone.

At approximately 9 p.m., police say the drone located the missing person in a densely-wooded area and they were safely transported to hospital.

“The HRPS is committed to embracing innovative solutions to serve and protect our community effectively. In this case, the use of a Remotely Piloted Aircraft System to swiftly locate the person in crisis most likely saved a life,” said Halton Regional Police Chief Stephen Tanner.

Police say the incident marks a "significant achievement" in leveraging technology to help ensure the safety and well-being of the Halton community.