| Abstrakt: |
To test the potential use of infrared (IR) cameras mounted on drones during missing persons investigations, four deceased pigs were either left on the ground's surface or buried at depths of 6", 12", or 24". Flights were conducted on Days 1, 6, 12, 15, 29, and 57, with images taken at heights of 10', 25', 50', and 100'. Images were then viewed to determine whether the locations of the pigs could be discerned based on temperatures recorded by the IR camera. Here, we demonstrate that putative gravesites could be predicted with a drone-mounted IR camera for follow-up physical investigation. Flights taking place from Day 6 to Day 29 were most effective for identifying areas of interest when the pig was sitting on the soil's surface or buried at 6". Imaging from altitudes of 50' and 100' were most efficient, allowing surveillance of a larger area per time, while retaining sufficient sensitivity for detection. The use of an IR camera attached to an unmanned aerial vehicle may be viable for the identification of sites warranting further investigation. The analysis of samples collected from the remains of the surface pig revealed the presence of gram-negative bacteria commonly associated with the mammalian digestive system, as well as organisms commonly associated with soil, suggesting that the metabolism of both indigenous and introduced bacteria contributed to the heat signatures that were detected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
