Drones have been in the news a lot since their availability to the public, some have embraced them as a new hobby whilst others have considered them a bane and disruption to privacy.

They may be about to become a salvation for those finding themselves in difficulty when out and about in the expanse of the state parks and deserts surrounding our homes.

Riverside County Sheriff's Department are trialling two drones for deployment in search and rescue scenarios. The unmanned systems carry cameras which produce live video streaming and can cover a miles radius with an approximate flight time of an hour between re-charging. If successful, the new equipment could take on up to 30 percent of a rescue team's duties. The downside if the 12 months trial is successful, could be the $80,000 to $100,000 cost of per device