InternetSAR.org

Volunteers Assisting Search and Rescue via the Internet

The mission of InternetSAR.org is to develop and promote the use of the Internet to conduct collaborative analysis of aerial and satellite imagery during search and rescue operations to help locate down or missing aircraft or vessels.

This site and effort to organize an Internet based SAR organization for the purpose of analyzing aerial imagery has grown out of the Internet search effort for aviator Steve Fossett who disappeared on September 3, 2007, in southern Nevada. The desire was to take everything that was learned from the online Fossett search effort and build a truly efficient set of tools and processes that could become a cost effective and highly productive aid to the efforts of find missing aircraft.

Experienced Imagery Analysts and SAR Observers Always Needed

If you are an experienced Imagery Analyst or SAR observer and would be willing to volunteer to help us evaluate objects our members have reported through our search efforts as needing further review, please contact us with your
credentials.  

Dec. 19, 2008: InternetSAR.org Joins Search Effort for Missing plane in Guyana

InternetSAR.org has volunteered to help with the search in Guyana for three men and their missing airplane, by reviewing the over 750 sq kilometers of high resolution aerial photographs of the search area collected during the search effort. InternetSAR.org carries out its search missions by using volunteers who log on over the internet and download an aerial photograph from the search area. The volunteer then scans the image looking for signs of the missing airplane.  Read full press release here

October 12, 2008: Ron Boychuk Search Effort Suspended

We have exhausted our supply of imagery for the search for Ron Boychuk having gone through the latest imagery at least four times. As such I am suspending this search effort unless we get more imagery. We still have about a dozen reports to complete evaluations on but none of those reports appear very promising based on their current evaluation scores.

It is disappointing that Ron Boychuk has not yet been found and that we were not able to get more imagery for his search this past summer. I sincerely want to thank everyone who has put their time and effort into this search effort.

This winter we will focus our efforts on trying to build up training processes and developing imagery acquisition resources and relationships with other search organizations. We will be conducting this effort through our forums for those of you who would like to assist us build something that could aid future search efforts. When the need arises, this site will be there for other search efforts and I will send out email calls to action the next time our services are requested by any search organization.

Again thank you to everyone who has dedicated so much time to our efforts.

October 2, 2008: Steve Fossett's Crash Site Located

We are very relieved to report that Steve Fossett's plane has been found in the Mammoth Lakes area of California. The area where the plane was found was at least 70 miles to the south west of the area covered by the imagery be used by InternetSAR.org and was outside of the area covered by other Internet based search efforts.

In the coming months InternetSAR.org staff and participants will be reviewing what was learned from our search efforts to improve the process for future search missions. Those who would like to participate in this review process and help us further develop this technology for future search efforts can join our efforts. Once you have joined you will be given instructions as to how to access our discussion forums.

Those who are interested in learning more about the discovery of Steve Fossett's crash site can read a variety of news articles via this Google News search.

Status Update July 6, 2008: New imagery now available for the Ron Boychuk search effort

The new imagery for the Ron Boychuk search effort, which was acquired using an UAV provided by Aerogeonautics out of Salmon Arm, British Columbia is now available for assignment via the main Ron Boychuk Search page.... READ MORE

Status Update June 23, 2008

New imagery for the Ron Boychuck search effort has been acquired with the assistance of an UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) provided by Aerogeonautics and is being processed for uploading into the InternetSAR.org imagery review system. read more

Media Release June 4, 2008: UAV launched in search for missing aircraft

InternetSAR.org is working with Aerogeonautics to launch an UAV to take aerial photographs of a high probability area in the search for a missing aircraft flown by Ron Boychuk... read more

Status Update March 31, 2008

Status update highlights: third pass of Digital Globe imagery for the Ron Boychuk search effort has been completed; reported object forwarded on to Boychuk family and RCMP; future search plans; a big thank you for tremendous outpouring of help evaluating imagery.

Ron Boychuk Search Launched - Dec. 24, 2007

At the request of the Boychuk search team, we have launched a collaborative analysis effort of satellite imagery captured by DigitalGlobe shortly after Ron disappeared.  Ron Boychuk disappeared on October 23, 2007, on his way home while flying alone in a Cessna 172 plane. Ron departed from Revelstoke, Canada, en route to the Vancouver Island community of Qualicum, Canada, and never arrived. To participate in this search effort, you will need to create a user account if you have not already done so.

IMPORTANT NOTICES

DO NOT CONTACT SAR AUTHORITIES DIRECTLY WITH FINDINGS FROM IMAGERY

ABSOLUTELY UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES are InternetSAR.org participants to report objects found in imagery we provide directly to search authorities. ALL REPORTS of possible findings MUST be reported through our reporting page for the relevant search. Also, InternetSAR.org participants may not provide our KML/KMZ overlay files to third parties (e.g. via email) nor may our KML/KMZ overlays be uploaded other websites without the express consent of InternetSAR.org. Failure to abide by this policy may result in termination of the participant's account. The reason for this policy is that our systems are set up to manage and filter reports for search teams and those who bypass our reporting system can actually impede the efforts of search teams.

Who speaks for us

The only individuals who are authorized to speak on the behalf of InternetSAR.org will be able to send and receive email from addresses at InternetSAR.org.  If there is ever a question about someone's authority to speak on our behalf, please contact us via our contact form.