Halton police credit drone with saving a life in Oakville

Halton police are crediting the use of a drone with possibly saving a life in Oakville Sunday.

According to the media relations department, Halton officers successfully located a person in crisis using an advanced drone system.

“This incident marks a significant achievement in leveraging technology to help ensure the safety and well-being of the Halton community,” said a spokesperson.

At around 6 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 28, police say they were were notified of a person in crisis who had gone missing in the area of Neyagawa Blvd. and Dundas St. W. in Oakville.

“Due to the heavily wooded areas and bodies of water in the vicinity of the search, 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 about 9 p.m., 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,” said Chief Stephen Tanner.

“In this case, the use of a remotely-piloted aircraft system (drone) to swiftly locate the person in crisis most likely saved a life.”