The case of the missing drone last seen off Ga. Highway 54 West nearly a year ago has been solved. All Saints Anglican Church member John Stevenson’s lost “Quadcopter” was found in a hay field in early February and had sustained only minor damage.
Stevenson contacted The Citizen in March 2014, saying that the “Quadcopter” was lost while he was surveying construction work at All Saints Anglican Church on Ebenezer Road. The Newnan resident and church member was using his drone to provide church members a birds-eye view of construction activities at the church’s location on Ebenezer Road off Hwy. 54.
Stevenson said he was taking video when he lost the drone. The drone was flying on a 55-degree heading with an altitude below 150 feet and with winds blowing 10-15 miles per hour in a northeasterly direction, he said.
“The drone appeared to have crossed Hwy. 54 at Wood Valley Road unless it hit trees before that point,” said Stevenson.
Stevenson said he activated the “return to home” function but the drone did not respond.
Nearly a year later, in early February, the drone was found and returned to Stevenson.
“Well, as good fortune would have it, about a week ago, one of the neighbors was having his hay field bush-hogged when the person doing the work happened to see the copter in the deep grass/weeds and picked it up,” said Stevenson. “He gave it to a family member who lives across from the now-completed church. She called the rector, Father Michael Fry, who notified me she had it.”
Stevenson met the woman and is again in possession of the missing drone.
“After establishing contact with her I arranged a meeting in which she returned it to me with only minor damage,” Stevenson said. “I have the last video which is the flight to (temporary) oblivion, and am now making repairs. It looks like this sturdy little craft will fly again soon.”
