Police said the lost hikers were found within 15 minutes of the drone being deployed.
SUGAR LAND, Texas — Three hikers were rescued from a park in Sugar Land on Friday night, and authorities said a drone was key in their rescue.
It happened just after 6:30 p.m. at Cullinan Park.
Sugar Land police said a woman in distress called 911 after she and two other people got lost while hiking at the sprawling park.
“The group had ventured a significant distance from the park and was unable to navigate their way back after dark,” police said in a post on social media.
The police department’s drone was launched within minutes of receiving the call. A lieutenant monitored the live drone feed remotely and was able to spot the hikers, who were communicating with another officer over the phone.
The three hikers were found and returned to their vehicles within about 15 minutes of the drone’s deployment.
Watch video from the rescue here.