Lost deer. Lost dogs. Lost livestock. Found from above.
When an animal goes missing, ground searching burns daylight. We match you with a verified local pilot flying thermal equipment, so hundreds of acres get covered fast, day or night.
Deer recovery is offered only in states where it is legal. Pet and livestock searches are available nationwide.
Guide pricing is shown below. Your pilot confirms the exact price before booking, based on acreage, terrain, and travel.
You made the shot and lost the trail. A thermal pilot can locate a downed deer through brush and darkness, often in a fraction of the time a ground grid search takes, and without pushing a wounded animal.
A scared dog can cover miles and hide in places you would never check on foot. Thermal search covers fields, woods, and creek bottoms quickly, and it works best in the first hours and days.
Find escaped cattle, horses, and other livestock fast, or get a full herd count and health check from the air. One flight can cover ground that takes a crew all morning on foot or horseback.
Fill out the search request below with what was lost, where it was last seen, and when. The more detail, the better the search plan.
We pair you with a verified thermal pilot near you and confirm timing and price. A deposit confirms the booking and holds your slot.
Your pilot flies the property, marks any heat signatures, and reports back with locations so you can recover on foot.
Anyone can buy a drone. Not everyone should be searching for your animal. Every pilot on Found From Above is checked before they take a single job.
Drone deer recovery rules vary a lot by state. Some states allow it with conditions, some prohibit it, and some have not settled the question.
We offer deer recovery only in the states listed above, under each state's conditions. In states where the law is unclear, we do not sell deer searches until the wildlife agency confirms the position in writing.
Georgia: deer recovery by drone is not offered in Georgia. Georgia pilots on this network take pet and livestock work only.
If you are not sure about your state, ask us in the request form and we will give you a straight answer.
We are building the first roster now. Founding Pilots get in early, get placed first in their area, and help set how this network runs.
Your verified listing costs nothing for the first year. No monthly fee, no lead fees, no bidding for jobs.
Bookings are handled through the platform with a deposit collected up front. You keep your pricing. We charge a 10 percent platform booking fee, and only when a job actually books.
Deer in season, pets and livestock all year. Take the categories and the radius that fit your operation.
What you need to join:
Two different doors, one for each job. Customers get matched with a pilot; pilots join the network. Pick yours, the form takes about two minutes.
Deer, dog, cat, or livestock. Tell us what happened and we will match you with a verified thermal pilot near you, then confirm a time and a price. The sooner you send it, the better the odds.
Request a searchTakes about two minutes. Nothing is booked until we confirm a pilot, a time, and a price with you.
Join the Founding Pilot Program. Free verified listing for year one, deposits collected up front, and you set your own rates. We charge 10 percent only when a job books.
Apply to flyYou will need an FAA Part 107 certificate, current insurance, and a thermal equipped drone.
Guide pricing: deer recovery starts at about $400 per search, and pet and livestock searches start at about $300. Acreage, terrain, and travel can move the price, and some pilots charge a success fee if the animal is found. Your pilot confirms the full price with you before anything is booked, so there are no surprises.
It depends on pilot availability near you and on daylight, weather, and airspace. Many searches can be flown the same day or the same night, and thermal works especially well after dark and in the early morning. Send the request as early as you can: for deer and pets, the first hours matter most.
You still get a full professional search: the property flown, heat signatures checked, and a report of what was covered. The search fee still applies even if the animal is not located, because the pilot's time, travel, and flight are the service. A success fee, where a pilot charges one, is only due when the animal is found.
It depends on the state, and the rules are changing fast. We currently offer deer recovery in Ohio, Missouri, Tennessee, Indiana, Wisconsin, Kentucky, Louisiana, Connecticut, Maryland, and West Virginia, under each state's conditions. It is not offered in Georgia, and in states where the law is unclear we hold off until the wildlife agency confirms its position in writing. Pet and livestock searches do not carry the same restrictions and are available nationwide.
Three things: an FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot certificate, current insurance, and a thermal equipped drone. A track record of real recovery work helps you get placed faster. Founding Pilots list free for year one and pay a 10 percent platform booking fee only when a job books.
Send the search request form and we match you with a local verified pilot. Once you agree on the time and the price, a deposit confirms the booking and holds your slot. The balance is settled under the terms your pilot confirms with you before the flight.