Russian AI-Powered Drones to Speed Up Search for Missing People and Artifacts

A new drone system with neural networks can double rescue chances and dramatically cut search times across large areas.

Russia’s National Technology Initiative (NTI) Foundation has unveiled an advanced search system that combines drones with neural networks to locate missing people. Successfully tested in drills in the Moscow region, the technology delivered impressive results: a drone can scan 0.5 square kilometers in just 15 minutes, compared to 4–6 hours for a search team on foot, according to First Technical news channel.

The drones are equipped with sophisticated sensors and AI algorithms that analyze terrain in real time, flagging anomalies and potential human traces. Data is processed instantly—critical in the first hours after a disappearance. Using these drones doubles the likelihood of finding a missing person alive by the second day.

Initially designed for search-and-rescue operations, the system has also proven useful in other areas, such as archaeology, where it can help detect hidden artifacts. Tests involved 17 teams training to work with the new system.

The NTI Foundation says widespread adoption of neural network-powered drones could save hundreds of lives, especially in remote regions. The technology is expected to be integrated into the work of rescue services and volunteer search groups in the coming years.