On Wednesday 11th September, the Icelandic Coast Guard successfully found a hiker who was lost near Svínafellsjökull using equipment developed by local tech company Rögg Corporation. The helicopter – Super Puma TF-GNA – was called out at night and arrived on scene in rain with visibility at ground level quoted by local press as five metres.

The device was originally conceived by Óskar Valtýsson, head of telecommunications at Landsvirkjun, the national power company. In simple terms it creates its own local GSM network to “wake up” the phone (assuming it is switched on!) and is then able to locate a person within a 60x60m square.

One of the strengths of the device is the direct transmission from the helicopter, particularly useful in terrain where crevasses and canyons are prevalent. If the missing person is located in either of these situations, they have previously been at a distinct disadvantage as there has to be a direct line of sight between the radio transmitter and the cell phone for it to work.

The new device has been funded by a number of companies including Landsvirkjun, insurance companies VÍS, TM and Vörður, and engineering firm Héðinn.

Ben Haverdee – HeliHub.com