In this case, it was a small rotary wing unit. The officer fairly bristled at some of the media's "drone" questions (as noted in the link). Considering he saved a life where other methods failed, he was quite justified. It's hardly new, as FLIR has been used for SAR on full-size police helicopters for years and years. But somebody looking for a sexy angle on a hot-button topic isn't exactly the considered voice of reason. Two cheers, as the man said, for democracy.