Search operations are a core part of Murrell Aero’s service offerings. Whether we are assisting with a lost pet, missing livestock, or a missing person, we approach every mission with the same structured, methodical process. A successful search does not begin when the aircraft lifts off. It begins with deliberate planning.

Planning Before Deployment

Every mission starts well before we arrive on scene. During the planning phase, we analyze mapping data, review terrain features, evaluate weather conditions, confirm airspace authorization requirements, and assess regulatory constraints. There is no value in developing a search plan if we cannot legally or safely operate in the area.

This early evaluation allows us to coordinate with the FAA when necessary, identify any compliance requirements, and determine whether environmental conditions will support safe and effective flight operations. It also gives us the opportunity to communicate with the client early, align expectations, and establish multiple potential courses of action.

At the center of every search plan is an IPP — the Initial Planning Point. This is typically the last known location or last confirmed sighting of the subject. From the IPP, we define an immediate search area and identify likely travel corridors such as roads, trails, drainages, fence lines, dry riverbeds, and other natural pathways. We then expand outward into progressively larger secondary and tertiary areas, building a structured search framework before we ever step into the field.

Using this framework, we develop automated search grids and route overlays in DJI FlightHub 2, DJI’s cloud-based mission coordination platform. This allows us to annotate areas of interest, pre-plan flight paths, and distribute mission data directly from our office systems to our ground control stations in the field. By the time we deploy, the operation is already structured.

Field Operations and Launch

Upon arrival on scene, we review documentation, confirm safety considerations, set up equipment, and brief the client. We ensure communication procedures are clear and expectations are aligned before launch.

When flight operations begin, we start at the IPP and immediate search area. These are typically the highest-probability zones. After clearing this area, we scan predetermined travel routes and logical movement corridors leading away from the IPP. Only after those areas are addressed do we expand outward into structured grid searches of the surrounding secondary zones.

If necessary, we widen the search into larger tertiary grids designed to systematically rule out broader swaths of terrain. This progression ensures we move from high-probability areas outward in a deliberate and defendable manner rather than searching randomly.

Detect, Identify, Track

While airborne, we operate using a deliberate Detect–Identify–Track methodology.

Detection relies heavily on thermal imaging from altitude. We use automated features such as hot and cold spot detection, AI-assisted object recognition, and temperature differential analysis to isolate potential signatures. Prior to launch, we familiarize ourselves with the subject’s expected size, thermal output, and movement behavior to reduce false detections.

When a potential signature is identified, we transition to confirmation. Using the aircraft’s high-zoom optical camera — and near-infrared illumination if operating at night — we visually verify whether the detected signature matches the subject. Thermal imagery alone is not enough; visual confirmation is critical.

Once confirmed, the mission shifts from search to support. Using the onboard laser rangefinder, we determine precise GPS coordinates and can share a QR code containing location data directly with the client or responding team. We maintain aerial overwatch, track movement in real time, and guide recovery teams from above. In nighttime operations, and when circumstances allow, we may deploy the aircraft’s high-power spotlight to assist rescuers during approach.

DIT also helps us uphold our values of respect for privacy and property by ensuring we apply the aircraft’s capabilities deliberately and only when operationally necessary. Detection is conducted from altitude using thermal imagery that identifies heat signatures rather than personal details, and high-zoom optical systems are not used indiscriminately or for general observation. Visual confirmation occurs only when a thermal signature matches the expected profile of the subject and requires identification. This targeted, stepwise approach minimizes incidental capture of surrounding homes, people, or private property, ensuring our searches remain professional, ethical, and respectful of the communities we serve.

When the Subject Is Not Located

Not every mission results in immediate recovery. When a subject is not observed within the defined search area during the operational window, we classify the outcome as a “negative contact.”

This is not a declaration of failure. It is a structured operational conclusion reached after the planned search areas, routes, and grids have been methodically covered. A negative contact provides value by eliminating uncertainty. It allows clients and rescuers to redirect their efforts toward new areas rather than continuing to search zones that have already been systematically cleared.

Post-Mission Documentation

After every mission, regardless of outcome, we retain detailed records including flight logs, screen recordings from the ground control station, and relevant image data. These records support internal quality assurance, operator training, and transparency with clients. They also serve as useful reference material should search efforts continue beyond our operational window.

Search work requires discipline, structure, and clarity. At Murrell Aero, we do not rely on chance. We rely on preparation, methodical execution, and clear reporting — because in search operations, process matters just as much as outcome.