RECCO Search

Helico Secours is the fourth operational search and rescue organization in Canada to hold the innovative RECCO SAR helicopter detector.

The detector is used to search for missing persons outdoors year-round.

Be Locatable

The RECCO® reflector makes you locatable by rescuers. RECCO reflectors are passive transponders that require no battery or activation to function, giving them an unlimited lifespan. They are made up of a diode and an antenna.

How Does It Work?

1. The RECCO detector emits a directional radar signal, similar to the beam of a flashlight.
2. When the radar signal encounters the RECCO reflector, it is bounced back to the detector, indicating the victim’s direction to rescuers.
3. The closer the detector gets to the reflector, the stronger the returned signal, allowing rescuers to pinpoint the victim’s location.

Thanks to the returned signal, Helico Secours can locate the lost person. Capable of quickly searching a 1km² area in 6 minutes, the RECCO SAR helicopter detection system reduces time spent in the field and risk exposure for professional rescue teams.

The system can effectively locate anyone equipped with a RECCO reflector who gets lost, injured, or goes missing in Quebec’s wilderness, thereby reducing search times and improving victims’ chances of survival.

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