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metropolitan police launching the remote drone Buildings are to respond to 999 calls from the tops of buildings as part of a new trial to improve their response to emergency situations.
Equipped with high-definition cameras, the machines will fly autonomously to crime scenes and stream live footage to authorities on the ground.
Scotland Yard It is expected to provide quick intelligence to assist in a variety of situations, including real-time details of a suspect’s presence and aiding the search for a missing person.
They will also be deployed during major incidents to provide a better aerial view that can help guide emergency service response.
The hope is that drones will start providing information within two minutes of being deployed, making them faster and cheaper than helicopter launches.
The pilot scheme, led by the NPCC, has initially been launched in Islington, with plans to introduce it to the West End and Hyde Park before the end of the year.
Other police forces including Norfolk Constabulary, West Midlands Police, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary and Thames Valley Police have already started implementing the plan.
Assistant Commissioner Lawrence Taylor, national lead for drones, said: “As a first responder programme, our drones will deliver police resources faster to crime scenes across London. They will assist in locating suspects, locating missing people and providing intelligence to our officers as they respond to Londoners when they need us most.
“We are building a Met that is more accurate and efficient than ever before, and this new technology gives us an important new tool to tackle crime in the capital.”
Superintendent Taryn Evans, who leads the NPCC drone program and pilots for the Met, said: “This is an exciting opportunity to bring the many benefits and capabilities of drones to London as a first responder programme, supporting both officer and community safety.
“We have been testing the program in many different police forces with different operational environments ranging from urban to rural and the technology has proven to be a gamechanger in many incidents.
“This pilot with the Met brings together two years of our learning and development and I look forward to seeing how it can enhance the operational response.”