SARAA - Search and Rescue Aerial Association

SARAA - Search and Rescue Aerial Association A Charity established in 2018 with the aim of facilitating the use of UAS (drones) within Scottish Mountain Rescue.

Located across Scotland, our pilots are all members of Mountain Rescue Teams and we are a member team of Scottish Mountain Rescue.

We have always had the belief that drones would play their part in saving lives. This search and rescue operation proved...
02/09/2026

We have always had the belief that drones would play their part in saving lives. This search and rescue operation proved that; the find with the thermal sensor, the location immediately gained using the laser range finder and passed to Control, on-board AI helping confirm the heat source, the rescue team guided in to the casualty and the overwatch of the rescue and evacuation enhancing overall situational awareness amongst the rescuers. Teamwork and multi-discipline search and rescue at its very best.



Killin Mountain Rescue Team Ochils Mountain Rescue Team Scottish Mountain Rescue
STV News
BBC Scotland News

26/08/2026

Another busy day for one of our pilots coaching a new team member from Killin Mountain Rescue Team Scottish Mountain Rescue

25/08/2026

A brief callout for the team this evening to search some steep ground for a missing person. Using a 'First Person View' Drone to search complex or dangerous ground can minimise or negate the risk to on-foot search teams. Kev Mitchell, Incident Manager Ochils Mountain Rescue Team, stated; ‘I was aware this was a high risk search area for a drone, and notwithstanding some collision potential, the level of flying skill demonstrated was tremendous’. Thankfully the missing person has been located. Scottish Mountain Rescue

24/08/2026

Pilots from Ochils Mountain Rescue Team Tweed Valley Mountain Rescue Team Aberdeen Mountain Rescue Team Oban Mountain Rescue Team Border Search and Rescue Unit Scottish Cave Rescue Organisation & Lomond Mountain Rescue Team attended our annual training event over the weekend with topics including manual search, automated search, FPV search and techniques for water rescue. Big thanks to Braemar Mountain Rescue for the use of their base and Aberdeen Mountain Rescue Team for the use of their bothy. Scottish Mountain Rescue

09/08/2026

Rain didn't stop play for three of our pilots attending a Joint aircraft crash exercise with the Royal Air Force Mountain Rescue Service and Police Scotland involving three RAF MRT's and one Police MRT with over 40 personnel. Our pilots were involved in providing situational awareness, incident monitoring and search over a wide area in the mountains. Scottish Mountain Rescue

07/08/2026

Three of our pilots were called out last night to assist Killin Mountain Rescue Team to search the Ben A'an area after shouts for help were reported. The first drone was deployed quickly to begin searching the steep ground on Ben A'an whilst team members on foot made their way up. Three drones in total were used to search a large part of the mountainside using thermal imagery, spotlights and search software in full darkness. Scottish Mountain Rescue

02/08/2026

Two of our pilots from the Tweed Valley Mountain Rescue Team out today practising flying and search skills in the lovely Scottish Borders. Scottish Mountain Rescue

Ever get the feeling you’re being watched? 👀It happened to one of our pilots on Friday night during a search for a missi...
29/07/2026

Ever get the feeling you’re being watched? 👀

It happened to one of our pilots on Friday night during a search for a missing dog near Winchburgh in West Lothian.

Flying a drone equipped with a thermal imaging camera, the pilot searched the area where the dog had last been seen. Plenty of deer and rabbits showed up, but no dog.

Towards the end of the second flight, a shuffling noise came from behind. The pilot turned around, shone a torch towards the sound and found the missing Boxer looking back!

The dog was put on a lead before the drone was brought back, avoiding any risk of spooking him. His owner was contacted and was delighted to have him back safe and well.

Not quite how we expected the search to end, but a brilliant result!

Our pilots sometimes choose to help with local missing-animal searches as training. These are not official SARAA Scotland callouts, but they provide valuable search experience while helping the community.

SARAA Scotland is a volunteer-led charity supporting Mountain Rescue and the emergency services. Help keep our team trained, equipped and ready to deploy by donating today.

Scottish Mountain Rescue

27/07/2026

A number of our pilots have been assisting Police Scotland Forth Valley today for the search of a missing person. Scottish Mountain Rescue Galloway Mountain Rescue Team

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Chair@saraa-scotland. Org. Uk
Castle Douglas
DG7

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