On Monday, Pennsylvania officials announced the successful location of a missing senior citizen in a forested area amidst freezing temperatures. This achievement was made possible with the aid of a drone utilizing thermal imaging technology.

The West Chester Police Department (WCPD) reported that one of their officers, who is also trained as a drone pilot, was called upon by a neighboring agency to assist in a search and rescue operation on Sunday.

Employing a drone outfitted with thermal imaging and a spotlight, the officer was able to direct ground teams to the precise location of the individual.

Authorities released images showing the thermal outline of the person and the rescue teams at work on the scene.

A thermal imaging drone played a critical role in locating the missing individual in the wooded area, according to the West Chester Police Department.

“Last evening, West Chester Police was requested by a neighboring agency to assist with the search of an elderly person who was lost,” the agency said in a post on social media. 

“A WCPD officer who is cross trained as a drone pilot responded to the scene. Our officer used the drone, which is equipped with thermal imaging and a spotlight. With the drone, we located the elderly person in a wooded area, and our officer was able to direct officers on the ground to the person’s location.”

Authorities working on the scene after a drone helped find an elderly person that went missing in the woods. (West Chester Police Department)

Authorities said medical care was “delivered swiftly.”

WCPD said technology, such as drones, played a key role in the safe recovery of the missing elderly person.

FILE – A pilot uses a thermal imaging drone near a wooded area on May 22, 2023. (Boris Roessler/picture alliance)

“We are proud to say that this is an example of us leveraging technology with training to deliver high quality service to our community,” police said. “It’s another way we are helping to build safer and stronger communities.”

Fox News Digital reached out to West Chester Police Department for more information.