Thermal drone searches · Winston-Salem, NC
Thermal drone searches for the ones out there.
Dan flies a DJI Matrice 4TD thermal drone to search for lost dogs and pets, missing livestock, and deceased deer. You do not need to have every answer. Call, tell him what you know, and he will tell you plainly whether he can help.
Serving roughly an hour’s drive from Winston-Salem. Same-day arrival is Dan’s goal, not a guarantee.
Who this is for
Three kinds of worry, one phone call.
Lost dogs & pets
A dog slipped a leash, or a cat bolted at a noise. When you are worried and unsure where to look, thermal imaging can help search for a warm animal in exposed parts of fields and woods. Dense cover can hide an animal, so a drone search complements your ground search rather than replacing it.
Dan will ask where it was last seen, how long ago, and what your animal is like, such as shy, injured, or likely to run from strangers.
Missing livestock
A calf that did not come in, a goat through a downed fence. Thermal drone searches can help check open pasture and exposed areas along field edges. Tell Dan about fences, water sources and the last place the animal was seen.
Deceased-deer recovery
If you believe a deer is deceased and need help locating it, call Dan to discuss the location and circumstances. These searches are for deceased deer only. Read the ground rules below before arranging a search.
How a search works
Heat shows up. Here is how Dan uses it.
The DJI Matrice 4TD carries a thermal camera that shows differences in surface temperature from above. A living animal may stand out against cooler ground, helping Dan methodically check visible parts of the search area. Thermal indications need careful assessment; a warm spot is not automatically your animal.
Illustration of how a warm animal can read on thermal imaging.
You call
Share what you know. Dan confirms you are within range, talks through the animal and the terrain, and explains pricing up front.
Dan plans the timing
He tries to arrive the same day, subject to scheduling and conditions. After-sunset starts are preferred for living animals, because contrast is better.
The search
Dan flies grid patterns over the likely area, starting from where the animal was last seen, and checks anything warm or out of place.
You get an answer
If the animal is found, Dan tells you where. Locating is not the same as physical recovery, and he will talk through next steps with you.
Illustrative drone scene, not a photograph of Dan’s DJI Matrice 4TD.
Timing & area
Time matters, so call early.
Dan does his very best to arrive the same day. That is subject to his schedule and operating conditions such as weather and airspace, so it cannot be promised, and this is not a 24-hour service.
Why after sunset? Daytime sun warms rocks, soil and brush, which clutters a thermal picture. After dark those surfaces cool, and living animals generally stand out better. If you are calling in the afternoon, that is usually fine. Dan will help plan the evening.
Dan works within approximately one hour’s drive of Winston-Salem, including locations in Forsyth County and parts of the surrounding Piedmont Triad. Drive times and access vary. Please call and confirm your location.
Call Dan 540-632-3458
Honest limits
What thermal can and cannot do.
You deserve to know this before you call. A good search is still not a guarantee.
Thick canopy blocks it
The camera cannot see through heavy tree cover, dense brush or thick evergreens. An animal beneath them may not show at all.
Weather changes contrast
Rain, wind, fog, and warm ground or air reduce the temperature difference between an animal and its surroundings. Operating conditions can also limit when flying is possible.
Deceased animals cool
A deer that has died loses body heat, so it does not glow the way a living dog does. Detecting a deceased animal is not identical to detecting a living one, and results vary with time since death and cover.
Found is not recovered
Locating an animal is not guaranteed physical recovery. Dan will tell you what he sees, and retrieval is a separate conversation.
For hunters
Searching for deer that have died.
Losing a deer is hard. Dan can search for a deer you believe is deceased. These are the ground rules:
Please read before you call
- You will attest that, to the best of your knowledge, the deer is deceased.
- That attestation alone does not establish that anything is legal.
- Dan does not pursue live deer, track wounded deer, or scout for hunting.
- Ask about secondary herd research; its findings must not be used immediately for hunting.
- All work is subject to applicable wildlife rules, landowner permission, airspace and operating conditions.
Pricing
Simple rates, stated up front.
$250 for the first hour on-site, $100 per additional hour started, plus $100 if the animal is found.
Most animals are located within the first hour. Search times vary, and locating or recovering an animal is not guaranteed.
The find fee is additional to the time on-site charges, not included.
You will hear these numbers again on the phone, before anything is scheduled.
- First hour on-site$250
- Each additional hour started$100
- If the animal is found+$100
Example: 75 minutes on-site costs $350 before any find fee, and $450 if the animal is found. A find within the first hour totals $350.
Before you dial
Have these ready, if you can.
A rough answer is better than none. If you are not sure of something, say so.
- Last-known location. Where the animal was last seen or where you believe it fell, with the nearest road or a map pin.
- Timing. When it went missing, and what has happened since.
- Animal description. Species or breed, size, colour, collar or tags, and temperament. Is it injured, shy, or likely to run?
- Property access. Gates, farm roads, who owns the land, and whether the owner has given permission.
- Where you are. So Dan can confirm you are within about an hour of Winston-Salem.
Questions
What people usually ask first.
Where do you work?
Dan works within approximately one hour’s drive of Winston-Salem, NC, which takes in Forsyth County and parts of the surrounding Piedmont Triad. There is no fixed list of towns, so please call and confirm your location before assuming either way.
Can you come today?
Dan does his very best to arrive the same day, because time matters. That depends on his schedule and on operating conditions such as weather and airspace. It is not a guarantee, and this is not a 24-hour service. Call as early as you can and he will tell you honestly what is possible.
Why do you prefer to start after sunset?
Once the ground and foliage have shed the day’s heat, living animals generally have better thermal contrast. After-sunset starts are preferred for a lost dog, a loose goat or a calf, but conditions still matter. Dan will talk through timing with you.
What does the drone actually see?
Dan flies a DJI Matrice 4TD, a drone with a thermal camera. It picks up differences in surface temperature, not shapes the way a photo does. It cannot see through thick canopy, dense brush or heavy cover, and rain, wind and warm ground can all reduce contrast.
Will you find my deer, or my dog, for certain?
No. A thermal drone provides another way to search, but a search can come up empty. Locating an animal is not the same as physically recovering it. Retrieval on your property or by arrangement with the landowner is a separate matter to talk about on the phone.
Why is a deceased deer harder than a living animal?
A deceased animal cools toward the temperature of its surroundings, so the strong heat signature a living animal gives off fades with time. Detecting a deer that has died is therefore not the same as spotting a warm, living dog. Dan uses thermal imaging along with visual searching, and the cooler the animal, the more cover and conditions matter.
What does it cost?
$250 for the first hour on-site, $100 per additional hour started, plus $100 if the animal is found. Most animals are located within the first hour. Search times vary, and locating or recovering an animal is not guaranteed. The find fee is additional, not included in the hourly charges. Example: 75 minutes on-site is $350 before any find fee, or $450 if the animal is found. A find within the first hour totals $350.
What do I have to say as a hunter?
You will be asked to attest that, to the best of your knowledge, the deer is deceased. That statement does not by itself make anything legal. Wildlife rules, landowner permission and other requirements still apply to you and to the work. Dan does not pursue live deer, track wounded deer or scout for hunting.
Do you do herd research?
Ask Dan about secondary herd research. Its findings must not be used immediately for hunting. All work is subject to applicable wildlife rules, landowner permission, airspace and operating conditions.
What should I have ready when I call?
Where the animal was last seen or where you believe it fell, roughly when that was, a clear description (size, colour, collar, species or breed) and how Dan can get onto the property, including gates, access roads and whether the landowner has agreed. A map pin or nearest road helps.
Do I need landowner permission?
Yes. All work is subject to applicable wildlife rules, landowner permission, airspace restrictions and operating conditions. If the land is not yours, get the owner’s okay before you call, or have them on hand.