Found Deceased CA - Paul Miller, 51, Canadian, Joshua Tree Natl Park, San Bernardino Co., 13 Jul 2018 #3

[Seajay]

. It’s too bad the drones weren’t out there when he first went missing. The problem at this point is, I am not sure when these drones went out, but it took loads of pictures and they are just now being viewed. That’s how Paul was found. I certainly hope that if the drones are used for a live missing hiker, the drones go up immediately after notification of a MP, then the images downloaded and viewed immediately. It could save lives. Not just hiker lives but rescuer lives as well. JMO

 

[Lilibet]

. It’s too bad the drones weren’t out there when he first went missing. The problem at this point is, I am not sure when these drones went out, but it took loads of pictures and they are just now being viewed. That’s how Paul was found. I certainly hope that if the drones are used for a live missing hiker, the drones go up immediately after notification of a MP, then the images downloaded and viewed immediately. It could save lives. Not just hiker lives but rescuer lives as well. JMO

Looking at the drone photos possibly could be crowdsourced as Tomnod used to do with satellite images, and Maxar is continuing to do.
https://blog.maxar.com/earth-intell...ve-a-new-era-of-crowdsourced-imagery-analysis

 

[j_in_c]

I joined the families search in May for Mr Miller and David Smith, the Park Superintendent who joined us the first day, stated that drones were not used because JTNP had not yet been cleared for their use by higher ups in Washington.
Be that as it may, what environmental impacts do you think 600 searchers, 2 helicopters and 20 ATVs had on the local area? 20 drones would have done scant harm.

As someone else mentioned, the proximity to 29 Palms Marine Base (especially this particular trail) probably makes approval tougher here. Many SAR teams are working to get drones (and drone pilots) incorporated as part of their teams and come up with the right operator levelrules and regulations. Bureaucracy is painful sometimes!

 

[RickshawFan]

It’s just so odd he was found so close to where he said he would be when he left that morning and so close to where the searches were. He must have already been incapacitated by the time they were searching for him and calling his name for him not respond to them.

Voices don't carry far and you go hoarse quickly calling for help. That's why a whistle is a crucial piece in the NPS (and general) "Ten Essentials" for hiking.

Ten Essentials (U.S. National Park Service)

 

[RickshawFan]

I don't believe that there was anything flying around looking for Mr. Miller last summer. From what I understand, drones had only been approved for searching a month ago, in November. Drones took photos for three days, looking specifically in blind spots. Then those thousands of photos were examined and Mr Miller's remains were located in the pictures.
/QUOTE]

IIRC the remains were located from overhead photos taken months ago.

 

[rosesfromangels]

Voices don't carry far and you go hoarse quickly calling for help. That's why a whistle is a crucial piece in the NPS (and general) "Ten Essentials" for hiking.

Ten Essentials (U.S. National Park Service)

I agree with this completely.
However, in Paul's case, my amateur speculation is that he crossed over before he could avail himself to such any such measure.

God Bless his family as they enter a new phase of their grieving process.
They should be somewhat consoled by the support and concern shown for their loved one. People really cared about, and tried desperately to find Paul.

Amateur opinion and speculation

 

[atlstnspc]

Thank you so much for everything you have done for the search and recovery of Paul Miller!

Thank you. The moral support I received from all my comrades here at Websleuths really did help me on the trail. It can be a lonely desert. I’m really sad to think I may have been within mere yards of his remains more than once and had missed him. I did so much want to provide the family with answers and help solve the mystery. Thankfully new technology and good people came through and closed this chapter. Reports will now be written and filed away and hopefully something can be learned from this that will help advance the art and science of Search and Rescue. Maybe I can learn something myself. A turning point like this is thought of as closure, but for people who have suffered great loss like this there is no closure. This is a step ahead in life. Thank you all for your concern for Paul and his family, this is the internet at its best. See you on the next trail, virtual or real.

 

[zecats]

Looking at the drone photos possibly could be crowdsourced as Tomnod used to do with satellite images, and Maxar is continuing to do.
https://blog.maxar.com/earth-intell...ve-a-new-era-of-crowdsourced-imagery-analysis

And in Sam Sayers case when Wings of Mercy asked for volunteers to search footage. Takes time and precision eyesight.

Also articles above stated footage was taken this past summer and only they recently discovered the possible remains. It seemingly did take time.

 

[rosesfromangels]

And in Sam Sayers case when Wings of Mercy asked for volunteers to search footage. Takes time and precision eyesight.

Also articles above stated footage was taken this past summer and only they recently discovered the possible remains. It seemingly did take time.

Technology in this area is advancing rapidly. Drones collect the footage, and software leverages technologies such as Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence to flag possible abnormalities in the landscape. However miraculous, these are still early days that require the human eye to decipher.
Ten years from now, (or sooner), these type of rescue or recovery situations will be made so much easier with what is emerging today. The application for this type of technology is mind blowing and far reaching. Fire scenes, hostage situations, and so forth.

Sadly, while the technology is rapidly emerging, the local, state, and government budgets to support such efforts isn't keeping pace. It seems people will spend oodles on fun gaming technology, but overlook how this money could make a huge difference in the betterment of our society.

O.K., stepping off the soap box. : )

Amateur opinion and speculation

 

[musicaljoke]

Technology in this area is advancing rapidly. Drones collect the footage, and software leverages technologies such as Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence to flag possible abnormalities in the landscape. However miraculous, these are still early days that require the human eye to decipher.
Ten years from now, (or sooner), these type of rescue or recovery situations will be made so much easier with what is emerging today. The application for this type of technology is mind blowing and far reaching. Fire scenes, hostage situations, and so forth.

Sadly, while the technology is rapidly emerging, the local, state, and government budgets to support such efforts isn't keeping pace. It seems people will spend oodles on fun gaming technology, but overlook how this money could make a huge difference in the betterment of our society.

O.K., stepping off the soap box. : )

Amateur opinion and speculation

These early days of drone photography remind me of the early days of fingerprint identification. What a tedious task it must have been before computer databases.

 

[musicaljoke]

And in Sam Sayers case when Wings of Mercy asked for volunteers to search footage. Takes time and precision eyesight.

Also articles above stated footage was taken this past summer and only they recently discovered the possible remains. It seemingly did take time.

Perhaps there are volunteers among us who would be willing to work with Wings of Mercy, or similar search organisations. Until they were involved in the search for Paul Miller, I had never heard of them.

https://www.wingsofmercy.ca/in-the-news

Here are a couple of interesting lines from the news article:

"Ashley Simpson was last seen in April 2016 with a bright pink suitcase.

"Her case inspired Shane Michaels to start a volunteer-based group to help families when their loved ones go missing.

Simpson’s case encouraged Michaels to develop software using drone technology to help find traces of missing people more efficiently [...] software that goes through every pixel in every single image and whether it’s a pink shirt or blue runners, it goes through every image and locates all those images and it circles that target.

The group has been involved with several missing persons cases across B.C. including Ryan Shtuka from Sun Peaks and Ben Tyner from the Merritt area.

“We are always looking for people to help us out. It’s all volunteer and it’s all donation,” he says. “We do what we can with what we have.”

https://infotel.ca/newsitem/when-a-...oup-steps-up-to-help-in-bc-and-beyond/it66413

 

[Suglo]

Perhaps there are volunteers among us who would be willing to work with Wings of Mercy, or similar search organisations. Until they were involved in the search for Paul Miller, I had never heard of them.

https://www.wingsofmercy.ca/in-the-news

Here are a couple of interesting lines from the news article:

"Ashley Simpson was last seen in April 2016 with a bright pink suitcase.

"Her case inspired Shane Michaels to start a volunteer-based group to help families when their loved ones go missing.

Simpson’s case encouraged Michaels to develop software using drone technology to help find traces of missing people more efficiently [...] software that goes through every pixel in every single image and whether it’s a pink shirt or blue runners, it goes through every image and locates all those images and it circles that target.

The group has been involved with several missing persons cases across B.C. including Ryan Shtuka from Sun Peaks and Ben Tyner from the Merritt area.

“We are always looking for people to help us out. It’s all volunteer and it’s all donation,” he says. “We do what we can with what we have.”

https://infotel.ca/newsitem/when-a-...oup-steps-up-to-help-in-bc-and-beyond/it66413

Come join us on FB.

Wings of Mercy

 

[zecats]

Authorities discovered skeletal remains in a remote part of Joshua Tree National Park last week with the help of photographs of the area that were taken during the summer.

Human bones found at Joshua Tree National Park

 

[j_in_c]

...
The group has been involved with several missing persons cases across B.C. including Ryan Shtuka from Sun Peaks and Ben Tyner from the Merritt area.
....

Not this same group (at least I don't think so) but aerial footage helped locate some clues for Matthew Weaver's family:
CA - CA - Matthew Weaver, 21, Santa Monica Mountains, 10 Aug 2018

The high-res drone photos are here is anyone wants to scan for any more possible clues.
Aerial Photos

 

[RickshawFan]

I agree with this completely.
However, in Paul's case, my amateur speculation is that he crossed over before he could avail himself to such any such measure.

Agree. Sunstroke, I'll bet. He would have been incapacitated very quickly, especially if he's out in the open where a camera overhead could see him. He might have been suffering from sunstroke long before he got to that spot, since denial is fairly typical until it's too late.

https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/heat-stroke-symptoms-and-treatment#1

 

[moonriverfarm]

20m (about 60 feet) is as good as a mile in many places out there. Every inch of ground has to be inspected and much of it, away from trails, is pretty rugged.

Always good to wear brightly colored clothing out there.

I think one meter is around 3 feet, so this would make it 60 yards, not feet, right?

 

[MsFacetious]

I think one meter is around 3 feet, so this would make it 60 yards, not feet, right?

Meter and yard are the same. So 20m is 60 feet.

 

[Blurgle]

Meter and yard are the same. So 20m is 60 feet.

It's closer to 66 feet. A metre is about three or so inches longer than a yard. They aren’t the same.

 

[zecats]

Human remains found in Joshua Tree National Park

Drone pilots step in to keep search alive

The drone team that found the remains, Western States Aerial Search, is based in Utah and has been visiting Joshua Tree National Park with a special use permit to search for Miller, said Ainsley Otten, member of the Find Paul Miller group in Canada.

According to their Facebook page, Western States never charges fees or accept rewards.

Western States worked with Wings of Mercy, a group of drone operators that help families of missing people in Canada, to scour the images for signs of human remains.

Wings of Mercy founder Shane Michaels told a Canadian news service he developed software that analyzes every pixel in every image taken by a drone.

 

[musicaljoke]

Human remains found in Joshua Tree National Park

Drone pilots step in to keep search alive

The drone team that found the remains, Western States Aerial Search, is based in Utah and has been visiting Joshua Tree National Park with a special use permit to search for Miller, said Ainsley Otten, member of the Find Paul Miller group in Canada.

According to their Facebook page, Western States never charges fees or accept rewards.

Western States worked with Wings of Mercy, a group of drone operators that help families of missing people in Canada, to scour the images for signs of human remains.

Wings of Mercy founder Shane Michaels told a Canadian news service he developed software that analyzes every pixel in every image taken by a drone.

It awes me that these groups are doing this work with no fees or rewards, but rely on the charity of kind hearts. God Bless them!

I made a note to self that the software for drone searches can pick up and mark locations where one pixel of colour is identified. It makes it so important for hikers to wear colours that are not found naturally in the environment.