There are a multitude of reasons in this day and age why people, both men and women, go missing. And just as many reasons why they should be found, and quickly. Recently, there was a startling example of how model airplanes, coupled with modern digital cameras, are benefiting society by making it easier, cheaper and quicker to find missing things, whether it be people or anything else, by providing a new viewpoint on our society.
In October last year, a model airplane fitted with a digital camera found a man missing near the West Texas town of Monahans, 4 months after he went missing. During that time search parties on foot and horseback had scoured the desert in an expensive and time consuming search. In just 3 sorties within one day the model airplane took 200 digital images and the search team rapidly found the body of David Lee Pettiet. The man's white trainers stood out as a minute speck in one of the photographs and drew the searchers to quickly locate him although he was surrounded by thick scrub brush.
Aerial photography is nothing new. But what is new is the ability to do it quickly and cheaply with model airplanes and without the massive expense of helicopters or fixed wing aircraft. The service used was provided by a man who had simply taken his existing hobby of radio controlled (RC) model airplanes, added the digital camera, just another piece of modern technology in his leisure arsenal, and combined the two into a useful tool which is rapidly turning into a commercial business.
There are many ways to enjoy the hobby of RC model airplanes. But aerial photography can be particularly rewarding as almost every RC airplane modeller already owns the necessary equipment. Going the cheap and cheerful route to explore what your birthday party looks like when seen from your model airplane high above - or to provide useful information on development plans for your local protest group by simply strapping an inexpensive disposable 35mm camera to the bottom of your model aeroplane, is one way. Or embedding a complete digital video system, made specifically for the job, into your model airplane setup to offer a professional service is another. Either way, the results can be quite remarkable, even amazing. When deciding where to start, there are a few things that you need to keep in mind.
If you decide to go the cheap route just for fun, strapping some sort of camera to the model airplane's wing or fuselage, there are a couple of pitfalls you will want to avoid if at all possible. Most disposable cameras do not have the ability to auto advance the film. This means that you will need to land the model airplane and advance the camera manually for each shot. While this method requires more work than others, it is by far the least expensive. Upgrading to an auto advancing 35mm camera will allow you to take pictures without landing your RC model airplane in between each photo.
Digital cameras also have limitations. Unless you are a very experienced RC model airplane pilot, using an expensive digital camera might not be the best idea if you are uncertain of your ability to land safely and reliably. If you decide to use a cheap digital camera then a lot of them have auto shut-off timers that will shut the camera off in 30-60 seconds. What this means is that you need to take a picture within that 30-60 seconds window or the camera will shut off and you will need to land your model airplane and turn the camera on again.
Using any of these cameras will require you to improvise some sort of servo attachment on your model airplane to activate the shutter button in response to your remote command. Double-sided sticky tape and zip-ties work very well for the servo, and rubber bands will suffice for attaching the camera to the fuselage. You will also need to have a RC radio that has an extra channel, such as a landing gear toggle switch, to activate the servo. Electric power for your model airplane is also useful as it gives you the option to turn the motor off while you take the shot in order to reduce vibration.
A more expensive route is to use a system specifically made for the hobby of RC model airplane flying. Various wireless packages can be found to meet your needs. Most of the packages available come with a few standard parts; a camera, wireless transmitter, and receiver. This method requires that you have the ability to record video 'in field'. A laptop computer with video inputs works very well for this. Another option is to watch the video LIVE while you are flying by using a set of virtual reality goggles. This certainly helps if you want to be selective about the shots you take - although with digital technology this hardly matters. But it does take you one step closer to every modellers dream of being up there with his model airplane!
Aerial photography and video using your RC model airplane can add more excitement to an already enjoyable hobby and even turn it into a business. So go ahead, there are some useful forums and groups on the web where you can do some more research - then get flying and snapping!
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Bruce Bird makes it easy for the beginner to quickly grasp the broad range of exciting activities that make up airplane modeling. To get you started flying so that you can get into aerial photography
visit his website to receive his FREE 5 part mini-series.


World Cup Preview - Germany
Outright Odds: 8/1
Group A Winners: 4/9
Former national favourite and Tottenham Hotspur diving enthusiast Jurgen Klinsmann takes control over the next generation of German players who are keen to end 16 years of hurt and win the World Cup for a fourth time on their own soil.
Klinsmann has thrown the traditional playing style manual out of the window. Gone is the patient, tight gameplay, his teams are sent out to play a "fast-paced, attacking and very aggressive" game which has significantly improved their goal tally. However, this strategy, along with a number of inexperienced defenders (none have played at a World Cup finals before) has seen a once resolute back line concede almost as many goals as the team score at the other end.
The current squad is void of any true superstar names, with only Michael Ballack offering real world class status. Per Mertesacker, Lukas Podolski and Bastian Schweinsteiger hope to prove there is life after former heroes Lothar Matthaus, now-manager Jurgen Klinsmann and Andreas Moller.
While there are question marks over the defence, Schweinsteiger forms part of an outstanding midfield alongside Ballack and the more experienced Sebastien Diesler and Torsten Frings. These players will have to work hard to ensure their untested defence (bar veteran goalkeeper Oliver Kahn) does not get caught out and that a sufficient supply line meets their equally World Cup virginal strikeforce of Kevin Kuranyi and Podolski.
As always, host nations will have their critics about how ready they are to perform on the biggest stage of all after playing only friendly matches for over a year. Germany did participate in last year's Confederations Cup which offered a decent level of competition. The Germans finished third but a 2-2 draw against Argentina and narrow 3-2 defeat against World Cup favourites Brazil suggests they are on the right track. Strikers Kuranyi and Podolski also rattled in five goals between them.
German sides appear to relish being criticised and seen as the "underdog", yet are always there or thereabouts at the business end of the tournament. Indeed, they were dumped out of the 1998 tournament in the quarter-final stage by Croatia, their worst result at the World Cup since 1958, but reached the final four years later.
Klinsmann's side has learned to accept their limitations but combat this by working for eachother as a team. Rudi Voller lead his much-criticised Germany team to the final of the 2002 World Cup so the message here is, never write off the Germans, especially on their home turf.
Recommended Bet
Expect Klismann's side to come out all guns blazing during the tournament and with home advantage they should ease through the group stage. A much criticised German side reached final four years ago, so why not this time aswell?
Germany to win Group A @ 4/9
E/W Germany to win the World Cup @ 7/1
David Walker runs a free World Cup bets website and has written extensive World Cup previews. A free 45-page World Cup guide is available from the website and features a "free World Cup football shirt for every reader" offer.


World Cup Preview - Poland
Outright Odds: 125/1
Group A Winners: 4/1
Following a disastrous 2002 World Cup campaign in which coach Jerzy Engel talked up his side's prospects only for them to be beaten 2-0 by South Korea and hammered 4-0 by Portugal, Poland will be keen to recreate their former World Cup glories.
Under coach Pawel Janas, Poland made short work of their qualifying group, enjoying home and away victories against Austria, Azerbaijan, Northern Ireland and Wales. Two narrow 2-1 defeats to England prevented a clean sweep but eight wins out of 10 matches was more than enough to cement their place in the finals.
In qualifying they proved their ability to beat average teams convincingly and they will need to repeat this on the grand stage if they are to repeat their glorious campaigns of 1974 and 1982 in which they finished third. However, they also need to prove they have what it takes to beat the stronger sides as they did in 1974, when Argentina, Italy, Sweden and Yugoslavia were dispatched before beating Brazil to claim third place.
They certainly have the firepower to do so and Poland's main strength lies in attack. During qualifying they cracked in 27 goals, notably the 8-0 thrashing of Azerbaijan and scored at least once in all 10 of their qualifying matches. More importantly, they scored 10 more than group winners England managed for all their multi-million pound's worth of strikers and only three sides scored more goals than the Poles during the European qualifying campaign.
Elche striker Tomasz Frankowski, nicknamed "The Goals Hunter" and Celtic forward Maciej Zurawski fired in 14 goals between them during qualifying while Southampton's Grzegorz Rasiak is also in contention.
Poland are also a side that is not short of experience. The expected starting line-up has an average age of over 30 while Jacek Krzynowek, Jamil Kosowski and Radolsaw Kaluzny have all played in the German Bundesliga. Four years ago the team struggled to cope with the climate in Korea and Japan but will have no such issues this time when making the short trip over the border into Germany.
Their only real weakness is at the back where they have developed a habit of conceding soft goals which will not go unpunished when they face a team in clinical mood.
Recommended Bet
Poland have received a favourable draw in which they should arguably beat both Ecuador and Costa Rica with the local "derby" fixture against Germany sandwiched in between. The dismal failure of four years ago means the Poles cannot be backed confidently to win Group A, although they are strong enough to qualify from it.
Poland to qualify from Group A @ 8/15
Poland to beat Costa Rica @ 4/5
David Walker runs a free World Cup bets website and has written extensive World Cup previews. A free 45-page World Cup guide is available from the website and features a "free World Cup football shirt for every reader" offer.