WATCH: Colonie Police Use Drone To Rescue A Missing Child

Drones are nothing new. We've seen them in every conceivable scenario since their emergence in the early 2010s, from vlogging to war to sports broadcasting.

Read More: Can Toads in New York State Poison Your Dog?

Many of these uses seem frivolous, but Colonie Police recently put one to very good use...

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Missing Child

At around 8 a.m. on April 27th, Colonie police received a call about an unattended 8-year-old child. A witness stated that they saw the child walking on the town bike path in Colonie Town Park, missing their shoes.

It was discovered that the child had wandered away from his mother, who was desperately looking for him. Immediately, patrol officers were dispatched on foot to look for the child, but to no avail. Luckily, Colonie Police had another trick up their sleeves...

Drone Rescue

Next up to the case were Patrol Officers Dan Kutny and Dan Franklin, who are members of the Department's Unmanned Aerial Systems Unit, otherwise known as the Drone Unit.

They took to the skies (or rather, their drone did), and began surveilling the area for the lost child. Within a few minutes, they located him on a playground, around a half a mile from where he was first seen by witnesses. Once located, Kunty and Franklin guided the footed patrols to his location, and he was successfully reunited with his mother.

Just remember, if you are out and about with a young child, make sure to keep a watchful eye on them. As a former toddler myself, I know how much they love to just run off with no warning.