Searchlight Concept
Patchy Cellular Network coverage need not be a bar to locating someone through their Cell Phone. The Searchlight concept involves exploiting Cellular Phone and other technologies, to place location data in the hands of SAR personnel on the ground

Patchy Cellular Network Coverage
The Searchlight concept is primarily focussed on areas where there is poor cellular coverage (which includes hundreds of kilometres of main State Highways in NZ). In areas with fringe coverage, cellular network operators may currently only be able to provide an approximate location – (one Cell Site can cover over 3000 sq km!)
Casualty location following natural disasters such as earthquakes is also a key development area.

Social Engineering
Ever wished more people would carry locators or communications with them outdoors – well they do! Cell phones are a sophisticated piece of modern communications technology which can be uniquely identified and their exact position obtained through various techniques.

Cell Phones now provide an ever increasing range of secondary functions such as cameras, mp3 players, games, texting, email, web browsing, personal data assistants and even in built GPS capability and so people take them… everywhere!

The Searchlight Concept is based around exploiting the technology that people use in the real world and making it work harder for the benefit of search and rescue services

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