Have you ever wondered how they test ELTs? NASA dropped a Cessna 172 from 100 feet at the Langley Landing and Impact Research Facility to do just that. Make sure to watch at 3:49 for some awesome slow motion video.
NASA is developing next-gen search and rescue technology in partnership with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Air Force. Their goal is to find faster, more reliable ways of finding distressed aircraft and their occupants.