Authorities say a stranded motorist in Oregon attached a phone to a drone to get a signal to call for help. (Lane County Sheriff's Search and Rescue)
Eugene, Ore.
Authorities in Oregon say a driver used his drone to help alert them to his location after getting stuck on a remote road in the snow.
According to Lane County Search and Rescue, the man was stranded in the Willamette National Forest and realized he didn’t have cell service. He also knew his family was out of town, so he decided to use his drone to get help.
The stranded driver attached his cellphone to the drone, typed out a message with his location, and launched it in the air to get a working signal.
Authorities said the drone’s elevation allowed the man’s phone to connect to a cell tower and send the message to his friend.
Rescuers were then able to deploy a team to his location and get him to safety.
Rescue crews said they also found another driver who was stranded nearby in the snow for multiple days.
The search and rescue team said it was happy with the outcome of this service call, but reminded everyone to travel with caution during the winter months.