Drone Helps Santa Fe First Responders Locate and Save Unconscious Man

First responders in Santa Fe, New Mexico say a drone played a critical role in helping save the life of a 47-year-old man.

According to officials, police and fire crews responded Wednesday afternoon to reports of an unconscious man near Las Acequias Park. As part of the response, authorities deployed a Drone as First Responder system to quickly survey the area from the air.

The drone was able to reach the scene ahead of some responding units, giving emergency crews an aerial view that helped them quickly locate the man.

Once officers and firefighters reached the victim, they were able to begin life-saving care immediately.

Officials credited the department’s unmanned aircraft system pilot and the Drone as First Responder deployment model for helping pinpoint the man’s location quickly, which they say directly contributed to the successful rescue.

Authorities say this marks the first time a life has been saved in Santa Fe with the assistance of the Drone as First Responder system.

The city is currently testing the program using drone technology from Axon and Skydio. The pilot program is being evaluated to determine how the system can improve situational awareness and reduce emergency response times for first responders.

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