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Animal Drone Rescue AI

Drone search patterns for a lost pet

The pattern depends on what you know. A recent, precise last sighting calls for a pattern that starts there and spreads out. A large area with no clues calls for parallel lines that cover everything once.

Animal Drone Rescue AI on an iPhone: satellite map with the search area, the last place the dog was seen and an orange zigzag route; the panel shows 7.5 ha, 11 passes and about 15 minutes of flight
1. Mark the area and the app draws the route: here 7.5 ha, 11 passes, about 15 minutes and one battery.
Parallel lines
Parallel lines. The whole area, once, with no gaps. For a field or a hillside when you do not know where the dog is.
Expanding square
Expanding square. Starts at the last known place and grows outwards. For a recent, precise sighting.
Spiral
Spiral. Like the square, with smoother turns. Good for small drones in wind.
Sector search
Sector. Passes back and forth over the last known place in three directions. For a fresh sighting with no direction.
Along a path
Along a path. Passes on each side of a road, track or river. Dogs often follow them.

How far apart the lines should be

Each line of the search should overlap the last one by about 20 %. With a DJI Mini 2 filming at 25 m, the video covers a strip about 36 m wide, so the lines go about 29 m apart. Fly higher and the lines can be further apart, but the dog gets smaller in the image. Height and detection.

Fit the pattern to one battery

Split a large area into pieces that each fit in one battery, and number them. Start with the piece nearest the last sighting, then the ones along paths and water. The app splits the area and keeps track of which pieces have been searched and when.

App Store · coming soon Google Play · coming soon

Reviewed on October 23, 2026.

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