Scientists Are Training Drones to Find Lost Hikers Quadcopters to the rescue.

By Kim Lachance Shandrow

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

If you should lose your way in the Swiss forest, don't fret. Smart drones can probably find you.

Researchers in Switzerland have developed artificial intelligence that they say is sharp enough to enable quadcopters to automatically find and follow footpaths in the woods.

The new technology is specifically designed to give humans a hand in locating missing persons, an estimated 1,000 of whom send rescuers on the hunt in the woodlands and mountains of Switzerland every year.

Related: Mighty Eagles Are Being Trained to Snatch Drones From the Sky

Instead of using high-tech sensors, the drone Swiss scientists deployed in their tests quickly scans hiking and mountain-biking trails, notably beneath -- not above -- the forest canopy, with an embedded color camera.

To see the trail-stalking drone in action, check out the video below:

Relying on the image-classifying deep neural network software researchers designed, the unmanned craft autonomously stays on obvious trails, automatically steering itself as it goes. Avoiding trees, twigs and brush is key, as colliding with them could easily down a drone. This ability allows it to assist in search and rescue missions, perhaps even better than humans can, researchers claim.

Related: This Man Used a Drone to Walk His Golden Retriever (Video)

"Interpreting an image taken in a complex environment such as a forest is incredibly difficult for a computer," said Dr. Alessandro Giusti, a scientist who took part in the research. "Sometimes even humans struggle to find the trail!"

Giusti and his colleagues, hailing from Dalle Molle Institute for Artificial Intelligence, the University of Zurich and the Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research, published their findings in the journal IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters last December.

Researchers were wise to position their trail-hugging drone as a search-and-rescue helper. We can only imagine how it might eventually be used in covert forest military operations.

Related: Protect Your Privacy With These Strange Anti-Surveillance Frocks and Fashions

Kim Lachance Shandrow

Former West Coast Editor

Kim Lachance Shandrow is the former West Coast editor at Entrepreneur.com. Previously, she was a commerce columnist at Los Angeles CityBeat, a news producer at MSNBC and KNBC in Los Angeles and a frequent contributor to the Los Angeles Times. She has also written for Government Technology magazine, LA Yoga magazine, the Lowell Sun newspaper, HealthCentral.com, PsychCentral.com and the former U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. C. Everett Coop. Follow her on Twitter at @Lashandrow. You can also follow her on Facebook here

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Side Hustle

She Quit Her Job at Trader Joe's After Starting a Side Hustle With $800 — Then She and Her Brother Grew the Business to $20 Million

Jaime Holm and Matt Hannula teamed up to build a business in an industry that "didn't exist" yet.

Business Ideas

70 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2025

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2025.

Buying / Investing in Business

Former Zillow Execs Target $1.3T Market

Co-ownership is creating big opportunities for entrepreneurs.

Growing a Business

This Local Bakery Has Lines Out the Door. Here Are the Secrets to Its Success.

Known for its viral flat croissants and innovative desserts, Alexander's Patisserie also excels in hands-on leadership and team culture.

Business News

Microsoft Is Laying Off Over 6,000 Employees, About 3% of Its Workforce. Here's Why.

The company said the cuts will affect all divisions and locations, with a focus on managers.

Business News

Nissan Is Doubling Its Initial Layoff Announcement, Cutting 20,000 Jobs: 'A Wake-Up Call'

The automaker is dealing with slowing sales and a recent failed merger with Honda.