Cairngorm Mountain Rescue Team have purchased a top-of-the-range drone thanks to a £15,000 donation in memory of an avid walker.
Norman and Louie Pitcairn, from Galloway, spent several holidays walking the hills, taking their caravan to Glenmore or staying at their timeshare in Dalfaber or Lochanhully.
Following Norman’s death, his widow Louie said it was “only fitting” to “give something back to the area in which we enjoyed so many happy times.”
The “impressive” drone is set to be used to search for missing hikers and has a 200x zoom lens and a thermal camera to allow searches at night.
Those features will make the drone useful in two or three-day searches when a helicopter isn’t available.
The DJI M30T can cover large distances and access dangerous areas where technical rescues may be required, like when someone is stuck on a cliff face or in an area where there is an avalanche risk.
Iain Cornfoot, a team leader with the rescue team, said: “It kind of coincided with that new style of drone coming out, which was better suited for us to use, in terms of its weatherproofness and the types of things we need.”
He added: “It was effectively something we probably couldn’t have funded ourselves without someone coming forward and donating that kind of money.”
Cairngorm Mountain Rescue couldn’t have afforded life-saving drone without donation
The generous donation also allowed the team to upgrade the drone to have two controllers, buy more batteries and fund some extra training and IT equipment needed to help the team get the drone in the skies.
It’s already been used in a search and rescue operation on Skye.
Norman was an avid outdoorsman and rugby player.
His wife Louie said on Facebook: “It seems only fitting to so it gives me pleasure to donate money to purchase this drone in Norman’s memory.
“I know he would approve and as his niece said: ‘It’s nice to know that Uncle Norman in spirit, is flying high helping to save the lives of others.'”
Cairngorm Mountain Rescue Team added in the Facebook post: “CMRT would like to extend many thanks to the Pitcairn family, this technology will help us invaluably on rescues and could help save someone’s life one day.”
The organisation is run by volunteers and celebrated its 60-year anniversary earlier this year.
Conversation