Search & Rescue Drone Pilot

The Wright Flyer provides FAA Part 107–compliant aerial reconnaissance and situational-awareness support for authorized search and rescue (SAR) missions across Colorado’s mountain counties.

I provide insured FAA Part 107–compliant drone operations in support of search and rescue (SAR) missions, offered as a public service at no cost. Operations are conducted only at the request of the responsible authority having jurisdiction—typically a sheriff’s office or lead search-and-rescue agency—and under the direction of incident command, in accordance with established SAR protocols, FAA airspace requirements, and all applicable unmanned aircraft regulations. Flight operations remain subject to all FAA operational limitations, including visual line-of-sight requirements, required airspace authorization, and coordination with crewed aircraft operating in the incident area. When crewed aircraft are assigned to a mission, unmanned operations will yield the airspace and operate only when coordinated through incident command.

My SAR service area includes Grand County, Gilpin County, Boulder County, and Clear Creek County, and may extend more broadly within approximately two hours’ driving distance of Fraser, subject to mission needs and operational constraints.

I bring exceptionally specialized local knowledge of the Rollins Pass (Corona Pass) corridor that can support search-and-rescue planning and situational awareness, informed by hundreds of thousands of reference photographs and video assets documenting terrain, historic routes, structures, and seasonal conditions. Over time this work has produced an extensive ground and aerial archive—now comprising dozens of terabytes of imagery and video—capturing the evolving landscape across the pass. Any SAR-related flight operations would be conducted in accordance with applicable FAA regulations, airspace requirements, and incident-specific authorizations; certain locations or mission profiles may be restricted. A substantial portion of this imagery also functions as a pre-incident aerial intelligence reference library for the Rollins Pass corridor, providing visual reference of terrain, access routes, trail junctions, historic grades, structures, avalanche paths, and seasonal conditions across the landscape. When incidents occur in the area, visual reference of complex alpine terrain can provide context that maps alone may not fully convey. This accumulated archive helps illustrate landscape features, travel corridors, and potential hazards across Rollins Pass, supporting operational planning and terrain awareness during search-and-rescue operations.

I am an FAA-certificated Part 107 Remote Pilot in Command with current recurrent training and serve as a volunteer FAA Safety Team (FAASTeam) DronePro supporting aviation safety and responsible drone operations across Colorado and Wyoming. All commercial operations comply with 14 CFR Part 107 and other applicable FAA regulations governing UAS operations in the United States. Where required, FAA airspace authorizations or operational waivers will be obtained prior to flight in coordination with the requesting agency and applicable regulatory authorities.

Flight operations may be insured on a per-mission basis when required by the requesting agency.

B. Travis Wright, MPS • The Wright Flyer • FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot • FAA Safety Team DronePro (CO/WY)