Drones Take Flight: London Police's New High-Tech Crimefighting Tactic

London police have initiated a project using drones to rapidly respond to emergency calls. The 'Drone as First Responder' trial aims to improve crime scene response times and gather crucial data. The drones, remotely operated, enhance policing by locating suspects, finding missing persons, and collecting evidence.

London's Metropolitan Police have launched an innovative trial named 'Drone as First Responder', wherein drones are deployed to expedite response to emergency calls. The initiative, currently tested in Islington, allows drones to reach crime scenes quickly and stream live footage to officers, aiding in suspect identification and location.

These drones are stationed in boxes on police buildings and can be deployed remotely. They transmit real-time images to control rooms or officers' mobile devices, serving various policing tasks such as search operations for missing persons, suspect tracing, and evidence gathering.

The Metropolitan Police's drone trial is part of a broader trend, with other UK police forces also exploring similar technology. The Civil Aviation Authority has selected projects to further experiment with drones for potentially transformative uses like deliveries and infrastructure inspections.

(With inputs from agencies.)