London, Yiannis Haniotakis

Into the fight against crime, London’s Metropolitan Police is deploying specially configured drones to support officers responding to emergency situations by providing critical real-time information.

The drones are housed in special, waterproof boxes on the roofs of selected police buildings, where they remain charged and ready for immediate takeoff. As the authorities explain, after an emergency call, the police control center will launch a drone under the guidance of specialized operators.

Once the dispatch signal is given, the drone will be able to reach the scene of the incident within two minutes, transmitting real-time high-resolution footage to both officers in the field and the control center. In this way, business coordination and efficiency is enhanced, while valuable visual material is captured.

At the end of the mission, the drone will automatically return to its landing area, where it will start charging for the next mission.

They will be used for a variety of frontline policing needs including:

  • Search for missing persons
  • Identifying suspects
  • Collecting evidence at the scene of an incident
  • Faster delivery of information, including a suspect’s location and description of their appearance in real time

Assistant Commissioner Lawrence Taylor “We are building a Metropolitan Police that is more effective than ever before, and this new technology gives us a vital new tool to fight crime in the capital.”