Drone Finds Elderly Massachusetts Man in the Woods

Drones seem to be making a lot of news these days, whether it be mysterious, unexplained drones terrorizing East Coast cities or drones unloading explosives on the heads of suspected terrorists a world away.

Police in Plainville, Massachusetts recently launched several high-tech drones to locate an 86-year-old man who'd gone missing from his residence after dark.

Time was of the essence.

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According to a Plainville Police press release, the incident occurred on Thursday, March 13, 2025.

The release states, "On Thursday, March 13, at approximately 8:20 p.m., the department received a report that the individual had been last seen around 7 p.m."

Police were concerned given the man's advanced age and a chilly air temperature of only 36 degrees.

Plainville Police "requested the deployment of the Metropolitan Law Enforcement Council (METRO-LEC), a regional mutual aid organization consisting of 46 cities and towns in southeastern Massachusetts."

METRO-LEC provides "specialized units, including search and rescue, drones, K-9 teams, tactical bicycle units, marine services, crisis negotiators, and investigative units."

The Massachusetts State Police also provided assistance on land and in the air.

Police say it took about 40 minutes to coordinate the search effort, but once drones were launched, the man was spotted in 17 minutes in the woods near some power lines.

"Three drones were launched, conducting a grid search covering more than two miles of dense terrain near the power lines in Plainville," according to the release.

The elderly gentleman was transported by ambulance to Attleboro's Sturdy Memorial Hospital for treatment. His condition is unknown