A pilot who luckily survived a helicopter crash in far north Queensland can thank a cutting-edge distress beacon for his swift rescue.
The single-engine helicopter crashed into trees in a remote area near the Daintree Rainforest, west of Port Douglas, around noon on Friday, sparking a search by several agencies.
The pilot, the cole occupant, was winched to safety with minor injuries after the wreckage was found around 2.30pm in the Mt Windson National Park.
The man, aged in his 40s, was taken in a stable condition to Cairns Hospital with a moderate head injury and head laceration.
An Australian Search and Rescue spokesperson said the pilot was fortunate to have had a distress beacon hooked up to the MEOSAR satellite system which helped search teams find him quickly.
His emergency locator transmitter automatically engaged on the impact of the crash and it sent signals to satellites in the MEOSAR system to generate his exact location over the next two hours.
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority says the pilot, the sole occupant in the aircraft, was discovered with injuries after the wreckage was located around 2.30pm about 50 kilometres west of Port Douglas.
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