Transcript of Pet owners use drones to track down lost dogs

After a days long, agonizing search, a drone's cutting edge thermal and video cameras. Come on, come on, come on, come on, come on. Oh my God, got it. Yes, we got it. We got it. Capturing the heart-stopping moments, Charlie, the missing Bernese mountain dog, is finally found. Oh my God, we got him. A happy ending. David Nowak and Kate Belmonti won't soon forget. It had been nearly a week the suburban Chicago couple's two-year-old pup had run away. They posted flyers, alerted neighbors. For days, nothing. We even thought maybe someone stole him, he's injured. That was terrifying. Finally, someone on social media floated an idea, hiring professional search teams, including Mike Smith of Smithic Air, who uses special heat-sensing drones. Oh, my gosh. That there's a deer hanging out. There's a deer right there. With their nearly 20-time video zoom to find animals hidden even in densely wooded areas. Is this just to you, undeniable proof of the love that humans have for their pets. They meet me and they're at their worst moment, really. They've lost a family member. To show you how this search works, Smith has his drone overhead right now. First, you can see our crew in this field on that thermal imagery.

The heat sources are so clear, and then he switches to video, and you can see just how easy we are to spot. Finding lost pets, now the bulk of Smith's business. There are some days that I'm going out after my day job and searching two totally separate searches for dogs. Nationwide, it's a growing trend, with desperate owners, Coast to Coast, paying drone operators hundreds of dollars to find their furry friends. Jack, look, it's Daddy. From Oklahoma-Oh, Jack. Jack, it's Mama. To Colorado-Good job. To Massachusetts. Oh, I missed you. This burgeoning industry, time and time again, churning about happy homecomings like Charlie's. I just jumped and I hug Mike and gave him the big kiss. You got some treat. As for Charlie, the gentle giant now recovering with unlimited treats at home. Mike? Mike coming to wish him well. A heartwarming reunion thanks to a high-tech search from above. You'd pay everything to get him back. Yeah, definitely. Come on. Maggie Vespa, NBC News, Crystal Lake, Illinois. Thanks for watching. Stay updated about breaking news and top stories on the NBC News app or follow us on social media.