Drones ready to help police in Bedfordshire
A nine-month-long trial saw officers from all Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire receiving UAV training.
Bedfordshire Police, UK, has announced that drones will be added to the force’s front lines in Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire following a successful trial of the new technology.
A nine-month-long trial saw officers from all three counties receiving UAV training, before introducing the operational use of UAVs in June. The four operational drones will be used to support operations including missing person searches, and to help ensure the safety of the public.
Each of the UAVs costs between £1,000 to £1,200, and is equipped with cameras capable of high-definition video and high-resolution photographs. The UAVs can reach speeds of up to 36 mph (58 kph), reach a height of 400 m (1,300 ft), but must remain in the pilot’s view at all times. A total of 16 officers have been trained to operate the drones.
Inspector Mark Farrant from Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Joint Protective Services said: “Exploring the efficiencies of new technology is key to helping us face the challenges of modern policing. The drones give us greater scope to capture evidence in real time, supporting our ultimate aim of protecting the public and fighting crime.”
Already the drones have been utilised in several operations, including providing security surveillance during the visit of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to Luton on 24 August and assisting in the search for occupants of a car following a serious road traffic collision in Kempston.