Yep, the technology that at one time was kept under wraps is now in common use and being manufactured in numbers that make it cost effective to throw in the trunk of a patrol car. That ready access by the guy in the field without having to bring in dedicated air support that costs thousand$ of dollars per flight hour and takes time to reach the search area is what makes the small UAV's a game-changer. It is about the platform.

UAV's cannot yet do everything manned aircraft can do, but with time those limitations will be refined and some will be overcome. Most of the small UAV's though will be limited in payload as any extra ounces they carry is that much less fuel they can carry which means less time available for search. One way this can be overcome will be to have a modular payload with fuel being part of the payload. One payload may be max'd out on fuel with the idea of maximizing search time/range. Once the victim has been located, another payload may be used to take a package to him that includes water, a radio, FAK or whatever is deemed necessary. That UAV can have very limited fuel because it is going on a direct one-way flight with zero search can land next to the victim and serve as a beacon for any follow-on ... or, just have the first UAV land next to the vic to serve as a beacon and allow follow-on UAV's (and boots) to go-to that beacon. GPS coordinates are nice, but a red flashing beacon parked next to the victim is a sure thing.

I have no idea how the SAR UAV community intends to use these assets, but it's really just a matter of thinking outside the box and use the asset in new ways. Some will work and some will fail.