Merseyside Police are piloting “spy drones” - mini planes fitted with CCTV cameras which are mainly used for tackling anti-social behaviour and public disorder. The machines are flown by remote control or using pre-programmed GPS navigation systems and are silent and can be fitted with night-vision cameras. The drone will also be used for monitoring traffic congestion and plans are to be made to introduce it to firearms operations.
Originally used by the military, they have been fully operational since June for a full three-month trial, and are the “first of their kind” in the UK. The images they record are sent back to a police support vehicle or control room. The machine is 1m wide, weighs less than a bag of sugar, and can record
images from a height of 500m.
“We’re always looking at ways of putting more officers on the streets, and maximising technology is a powerful way of achieving this,” said Merseyside’s assistant chief constable Simon Byrne.
“Our drone will be used primarily to support our anti-social behaviour taskforce AXIS, in gathering all important evidence to put offenders before the courts. “For us, this is a cost-effective way of helping to catch criminals and supports similar technology we’re already using in our vans and helicopter.”
The force has been assisted by the Police, Crime and Standards Directorate. Deputy director, Stephen Cahill, said: “We are pleased to support Merseyside Police in their efforts to reduce crime through the use of new technology. “This trial is the first of its kind in the country and we’re excited about its potential.”
Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), commonly known as drone aircraft were launched for the first time by police in Los Angeles last year. UAVs have long been used by the military in war zones such as Iraq or Afghanistan. But LAPD said that the technology had been adapted for domestic use and would revolutionise the way law enforcement agencies carry out surveillance and rescue operations.
The Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department (LASD) had been experimenting with a drone called SkySeer for several years before it first came into full use late in 2006. Like the Mersey spy drone, SkySeer looks like a remotely controlled model aircraft. It has a wingspan of 6.5 feet (1.98m) and weighs 4 pounds (1.81kg). A camera is attached to its belly and a small battery powers the drone.
The difference between the Mersey Drone and the LA Drone is that the UAV can fly at any height. At 250 feet above the ground, it can clear a 25-storey building and is almost invisible. At a cost of approximately $25,000 - $30,000 (£13,400 - £16,000), the UAV is considerably cheaper than a standard helicopter.
Commander Charles Heal, head of the LASD’s technology exploration project, believes that such surveillance is not creating a ‘big brother’ society. “There’s no place in an urban environment that you can go to right now that you’re not being looked at with a video camera and you have nothing to fear from your own government - you are being watched by your fellow citizens.” Said Heal.
Mersey Drone Specs
Rotor blades: Four 37cm carbon fibre blades mounted on ends of
lightweight arms
Antenna: Picks up signal from remote control handset and transmits images
to controller
Camera: Operates at up to 500m with option for infra red images
Drum: Houses GPS system, which can
be used to fly drone, a rechargable
battery and other key electronics
Remote control: Used to fly the drone and operate the camera
Video glasses: Allow ‘pilot’ to see what is being filmed and to operate the drone when out of direct sight
Weight: Under 900g (2lbs)
Size: 70cm (28ins) across
Flying time: Over 20 minutes
Noise: Less than 65 decibels at 3m
Take off: Vertical |
