Lost drone returned to Edmond family

By Dave Detling

EDMOND, Okla. —For six months, a family of six wondered where their drone flew off to. This week they were reunited with their $1,000 flying object after it appeared on KOCO 5 News.

“I was amazed that it was found,” said Luke Hartman. “I’m even more amazed that it works.”

The father of four said the drone, which he calls a quadrocopter, was lost back in October. His 8-year-old, Isaac, was helping him fly the machine when it got too high and the wind took it.

“We all piled into the car and tried following it,” 11-year-old George Hartman said.

But the family’s search turned up empty.

“It’s small. It’s discreet. I didn’t know who to tell or how to get the word out,” Luke Hartman said.

But that all changed after Luke’s co-worker saw a report on the news.

“He asked me if he got my drone back. He said he saw a report on the news saying one was found near East 2nd Street and Coltrane.”

Turns out the drone flew for a half-mile before landing on a woman’s roof, where it sat unnoticed until Monday.

Luke took his serial numbers down to the Edmond police station and was able to get his drone back.

On Thursday, with its GPS tracking system activated, it took flight.

“It’s working!” George shouted.

For roughly 30 minutes, Luke showed off the drone’s capabilities for our cameras.

As for it flying away again, Luke says he has it all under control.

“I will be watching it at all times,” he said. “We will be going to open fields and keeping a close eye on it.”

Because of the device’s short stay in the Edmond Police Department’s property room, the family has decided to name the drone “Freebird.”

http://www.koco.com/news/lost-drone-returned-to-edmond-family/32540182