Sussex Police gains UK's largest drone fleet
Surrey and Sussex Police has announced its acquisition of four remotely piloted aircraft.
In the UK, Surrey and Sussex Police has announced its acquisition of four remotely piloted aircraft. The Aeryon SkyRangers will add to one existing machine that has been used to support policing operations at Gatwick Airport since March 2014. The drones are capable of operating during daylight and after dark, in high wind and heavy rain, and can reach speeds of about 30 mph (48 kph), said the force. The new equipment means the drone fleet is the largest of any force in the UK, the organisation noted.
Assistant Chief Constable Steve Barry, head of Surrey and Sussex Police Operations, said: “We have invested significantly in training 38 operators to CAA (Civil Aviation Authority) accredited standard to give us every opportunity to use drones when appropriate to do so to critically assess the benefits. Our project, operating five drones, is by far the largest in the UK, and there are a number of forces around the country that are commencing drone trials and the information from their trials will be incorporated into our report.”
According to the police force, trained officers have used the existing drone for multiple operations over the past two years, including missing person searches, protestor responses, airport security and crash scene investigations.
Surrey and Sussex Police have been awarded almost £250,000 to fund the high-security devices. The money has been granted from the Home Office through the Police Innovation Fund, which rewards creative, collaborative and cost-saving projects aimed at transforming policing.
Under a three-month operational trial, the five UAVs will be deployed to Eastbourne Neighbourhood Response Team, Guildford Targeted Patrol Team, Gatwick Armed Response Vehicles, Shoreham Forensic Collision Investigation and Reconstruction Unit, and Lewes Operations Command Search and Operations Planning. The objective of the trial is to critically assess the benefits of employing drone technology within a wide range of policing functions with a view to enable efficiency savings, and to increase public and officer safety.
Tackling potential privacy concerns, Assistant Chief Constable Barry added: “We have consulted extensively with the Information Commissioners Office (ICO) and the Office of Surveillance Commissioners (OSC), both of whom are satisfied with the approach we have taken over privacy and data protection. The OSC recently saw the Gatwick drone being operated and was impressed with our operational protocols. Our drone operations will be overt, open and transparent, and we will use all outlets available to us to ensure the public are informed of our drone use.” He also stated that the drones will complement, not replace, the NPAS police helicopter.