Autel Thermal Drone And Therapy Pup Team Up In Maine

Photo credit: Sagadahoc County Emergency Management Agency

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Picture this. A golden retriever named Chaos calming nerves while a thermal drone scans snowy woods in search of missing hikers. That is the new duo working at the Sagadahoc County Emergency Management Agency in Maine. One brings comfort. The other brings high tech heat vision that could make your Mavic blush.

Midcoast Agency Levels Up Its Gear

The Sagadahoc County Emergency Management Agency is leveling up without draining the wallets of local taxpayers.

Photo credit: Sagadahoc County Emergency Management Agency

A crisis response therapy dog and a professional grade thermal drone were added this year through grants and settlement funds. Director Philip Davis says the upgrades are about smarter response and safer outcomes. Rural terrain demands tools that perform fast and perform well. This setup does both.

The Thermal Drone: Autel EVO II Dual 640T V3 Steps Into the Spotlight

The agency did not settle for a basic drone. They brought in a full enterprise level Autel Robotics EVO II Dual 640T V3, funded by a five thousand dollar Enbridge Safe Communities grant. For search and rescue teams in cold northern forests, this drone is a powerhouse.

Photo credit: Autel

The EVO II Dual 640T V3 carries a high resolution 640 by 512 thermal sensor paired with a 13 millimeter lens and a 16x digital zoom. That combination gives rescuers the ability to spot a warm silhouette far across a frozen field or see faint footprints melting heat into fresh snow. Autel uses a new image processing algorithm that sharpens thermal details far better than other drones in the same resolution class.

The EVO II Dual 640T V3 also shines on the visual side. It includes a 50 megapixel RYYB sensor with a Moonlight Algorithm for cleaner low light footage. Autel’s SkyLink 2.0 transmission system gives the drone incredible reach. It supports tri band communication at 2.4, 5.8, and 900 megahertz for strong anti interference. In FCC regions, transmission can stretch beyond nine miles with QHD quality within the first mile.

Photo credit: Autel

Sensors line the drone in every direction. Nineteen total sensing units create a full 360 degree obstacle avoidance bubble so the drone can fly through forests or tight spaces with confidence. Autel’s AI tracking system can follow a subject from behind, from the side, or from a locked position while avoiding obstacles.

For flight performance, the drone stays in the air for up to thirty eight minutes, shrugs off wind at twenty seven miles per hour, and can lift almost two pounds of extra gear. Maximum speed is forty five miles per hour. This drone is built for tough seasons and tougher calls. And in Maine, that is a requirement.

Chaos the Canine: Furry First Responder

Chaos, the golden retriever therapy dog, joined the agency in May 2025. Funding came from opioid settlement money from Purdue Pharma. He was trained by Crisis Response Canines in Iowa to stay calm during sirens, shouting, and loud bursts.

Photo credit: Sagadahoc County Emergency Management Agency

Chaos works scenes that break nerves. Fires. Mental health emergencies. Tough family moments. He already comforted children at Bowdoinham’s elementary school after a lockdown and the sudden loss of a teacher. His visits show up online under the tag calmwithchaos, and the community loves him.

Davis calls him a therapy dog on steroids. He lifts people when they need it most, including first responders who sometimes carry heavy emotional weight after tough calls.

Why This Combo Matters

The mix of a thermal drone and a therapy dog might look odd on paper. But in rural Maine, it makes perfect sense. The drone finds people faster across deep forests and snowy ground. Chaos provides emotional support once they are located or during difficult crisis scenes. It is speed, comfort, strategy, and compassion working as one system.

Photo credit: Sagadahoc County Emergency Management Agency

The Maine Emergency Management Agency says there is no statewide drone program yet, but counties can apply for grants to build their own. Sagadahoc might be the model others follow.

DroneXL’s Take

This is a serious upgrade for a small county. The Autel 640T V3 is a beast for cold weather search work. That 640 by 512 thermal sensor with a 13 millimeter lens is perfect for long range spotting in snow. I have flown thermal gear in winter and know that a clean heat signature can cut search time by hours. The temperature alarms and picture in picture mode are huge for field teams.

The challenge will be training. Getting first responders through Part 107 takes time and patience. Snow, cold air, and wind will test batteries and stability. They will need strong flight discipline to keep the drone healthy year round.

Chaos is a superstar, but managing both a drone unit and a therapy dog program will stretch any small agency. Even so, if this team helps save a life or calms someone in crisis, this setup is worth every dollar. Sagadahoc is aiming high, and my pilot brain loves it.

Photo credit: Sagadahoc County Emergency Management Agency, Autel Robotics