AI and drones deployed as Scots Mountain Rescue teams search for hillwalker missing since September
Mountain Rescue teams have depledoy drones in the search for a missing Scot who was last seen 10 months ago. Ian Ross was reported missing in September last year.
A missing person probe was launched when officers discovered the 65-year-old hillwalker's car in the car park of Beinn Alligin, Torridon, in the Highlands.
And drones and AI technology have now been used by experts to try locate Ian, of Dingwall.
Rescuers from Torridon, Dundonnell, Kintail, Galloway and Tweed Valley Mountain Rescue teams, and the Search and Rescue Aerial Association descended on the Beinn Dearg mountain.
Torridon Mountain Rescue Team said on Facebook: "Last Friday evening saw the team host SARAA - Search and Rescue Aerial Association Scotland at our base for a joint demo with Dundonnell Mountain Rescue Team and @kintailmrt.
"Covering everything from hardware to pilot training and AI detection, it was exciting to see the potential these technologies have to assist what we do in Mountain Rescue.
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"Over the weekend, SARAA pilots, supported by our team, deployed across the Beinn Dearg area to continue the search for the body of Ian Ross, who has been missing since September 2024.
"A huge amount of complex terrain was analysed in real time and in post processing AI software to try and identify any visual anomalies that would prompt a ground search.
"A huge thanks to SARAA members for coming up to Torridon, with their pilots coming from as far away as Galloway Mountain Rescue Team and Tweed Valley Mountain Rescue Team - we're very grateful for your support.
"All this work is funded entirely by donations, and carried out by volunteers." The SARAA - Search and Rescue Aerial Association - also posted on social media about the operation.
The post said: "A number of our pilots from Tweed Valley Mountain Rescue Team, Ochils Mountain Rescue Team, Oban Mountain Rescue Team, Galloway Mountain Rescue Team and Scottish Cave Rescue Organisation along with Torridon Mountain Rescue Team members recently carried out a multi-day drone search for a long term missing person over a wide, complex and mountainous area. A range of drones, AI and visual recognition software systems were used in the search."
When appealing for information on Ian last year, Police Scotland said: "We are appealing for information to help trace Ian Ross, 65, who is missing from Dingwall.
"Mr Ross' family became concerned after not being able to contact him and reported him missing to police on Tuesday, 17 September 2024. Officers searching for him traced his car to the car park of Beinn Alligin, Torridon, on Wednesday, 18 September."
Ian is described as being 5ft 9ins tall, white, with wavy grey hair, and he is said to be of slim build. Officers do not know what he was wearing when he vanished.
Sergeant Duncan Birse, Dingwall Police Station, said: "Mr Ross was last spoken to by family on Sunday, 8 September. He is in regular contact with his family and when they hadn't heard from him for a week, they contacted police.
"He is a keen hill-walker, and due to the fact of where his car was found, we have experienced officers along with colleagues from local mountain rescue teams searching Beinn Alligin and the nearby areas in an effort to trace him.
"We'd ask that anyone who may have seen Mr Ross since Sunday, 8 September, or his grey Dacia Duster car to get in touch. Information can be passed to officers via 101. Pleased quote incident number 2381 of Tuesday, 17 September 2024 when calling."
In their social media posts, both Torridon Mountain Rescue Team and the Search and Rescue Aerial Association said they are reliant on donations. Anyone wishing to donate can do so via their Facebook pages.
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