The Haus family from Minnesota experienced every parent’s worst nightmare after their son, Ethan, went missing. The 6-year-old boy disappeared with his dog, Remington, shortly after getting off his school bus earlier that day.
The sun set and temperatures dropped to around 40 °F as family and friends launched a frantic search for Ethan. As day turned to night, more than 600 volunteers joined with the FBI, K-9 units, and a Minnesota state patrol helicopter in the search.
Time passed and the search became more difficult as the search area expanded to include several dense corn fields.
It was around this time that experienced drone operator Steve Fines heard about the search. He had a feeling that his drone technology, specifically a drone equipped with a heat-sensing camera, could be helpful if the boy was lost in a chilly corn field.
Fines joined the search around 9:00 pm. With permission from authorities, he launched his drone and began covering ground far more quickly than anyone could have imagined. It wasn’t long before Fines detected a small heat signature.
The seasoned drone pilot guided authorities to the spot where they found Ethan and Remington huddled together for warmth.
Watch the full news video below to learn more about how Ethan’s life was saved with the help of a skilled drone pilot!