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It would appear that this has become the largest search operation ever mounted in NZ for lost fliers and looking at the rugged terrain in which it is believed the craft was flying over, it could continue for quite a bit longer.

It is a sad coincidence that the very technology I'm currently working on could significantly aide in the search for lost aircraft such as this -- but I'm still waiting for the information I requested last month that would allow me to continue testing.

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I'm talking about unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) which have the potential to replace or augment manned craft in search and rescue roles.

The craft we're currently testing carries onboard video and telemetry plus a GPS-based guidance system which will ultimately allow it to perform automated grid-searches of large areas.

What's more, because the operational cost of such a UAV is a tiny fraction that of a manned aircraft, it becomes possible to use a much larger number of these UAVs, thus allowing a far greater area to be searched in a shorter period of time.

Instead of risking the lives of pilots, the UAVs could be programmed automatically cover a section of the search area, beaming live video footage back to ground-based operators. If something was spotted from the air, the craft could then be commanded to fly a tight circuit around the suspicious location and, using camera-stabilising technology similar to that seen in the smart-bombing vids from the Iraq war, zoom in for a closer look.

What's more, since the exact location of the craft is constantly sent back to the control centre, any observations that remain unresolved can be further investigated by a manned craft if deemed necessary.

Given the number of dollars and time spent performing search and rescue operations in NZ's bush and coastal waters (often in very bad weather), the use of UAVs for such tasks seems a very logical option.

Thanks to the adventurous nature of Kiwis and the sometimes hostile environment that surrounds us, it's only a matter of time before another search is initiated to find someone who's gone missing. I wonder if I'll still be waiting for a government department to respond to my requests -- or whether the technology I've developed might actually be able to help save lives.

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