A map, a list, and a lot of late nights
The Missouri Drone Deer Recovery Network started in 2024 as a Facebook group of drone pilots who kept getting the same call: “I hit a deer at last light, I lost the blood trail, can you help?” The group worked, but a hunter standing in the dark does not want to scroll a feed. This site is the short version: a map of every pilot who has asked to be listed, and a phone number for each one.
Who the pilots are
Every pilot on the map is independent. Most run a small drone business on the side, some do it full time, and a few are simply hunters with the right gear who help their neighbors. All of them hold an FAA Part 107 remote pilot certificate, and all of them fly a drone with a thermal camera, which is the thing that makes this work. Rates, hours and how far they will drive are up to each pilot. Ask when you call.
What thermal recovery can and cannot do
A thermal camera sees heat, not light. A deer that died an hour ago is still warm, and against cool ground or timber it shows up as a bright shape from hundreds of feet up, in total darkness, through cover that would hide it from anyone on foot. That is the strength.
The limits are real too. Hot, humid September evenings give the camera less contrast to work with. A deer that has been down since morning in July may have cooled to the ground temperature. Thick canopy still blocks the view straight down. And a wounded deer that is still on its feet is a different problem than a dead one: the pilot may find it, but it may not stay found. An honest pilot will tell you which situation you are in.
The rules
Missouri regulates the use of aircraft, drones included, around wildlife. The short form that every pilot here works to: you may use a drone to locate an animal that is already down after a lawful hunt. You may not use one to find, pursue, drive or take live game, and you may not use it to scout for a hunt in progress. Regulations change, so before the season check the current Wildlife Code with the Missouri Department of Conservation. Landowner permission is the hunter’s responsibility, on the ground you hunted and on any ground the deer crossed onto.
Getting on the map
Pilots apply through the join page or in the Facebook group. A network admin checks the basics and adds the pin. Being listed costs nothing, and nobody on the network takes a cut of anyone’s work. Recoveries and season news are posted on the network’s Facebook page.
Who runs it
The site is built and hosted by Drones Inbound LLC and the map is kept current by the admins of the Facebook group. If a listing is wrong or a pilot has hung up the drone, tell an admin in the group and it will be fixed.