Police in England have unveiled their new plans for a 24-hour drone unit that will be able to provide round-the-clock assistance in tackling crime.
The Devon and Cornwall police have already been on the hunt for a drone team manager who will be tasked with managing the operational and unique drone response. This program will involve at least 9 different police jurisdictions across the two areas.
This isn't the first time that police will be working with drones in order to carry-out their occupational duties. But it is the first time that such a 24-hour drone police team has been suggested.
The force has been testing the drones for at least a year in order to accurately assess their operational effectiveness.
They will be using the drones to assist the police force with activities such as looking for missing persons, monitor protests, as well as taking crime scene photographs, and other possible scenarios.
The police officials have said that they are committed to using the new technology in order to provide “more efficient” services.
The drones that the Devon and Cornwall police are said to be using, are the DJI Inspire 1 drones (pictured above).
These drones
- cost thousands of dollars
- are equipped with an HD camera,
- are able to provide about 20 minutes of flight time
- can reach an altitude that is about 400 ft
- can fly up to 43.5mph
- weigh less than 10 lbs.
After they launch their program, it likely won't be long before other police departments follow suit. There are dozens of police departments already in the US too, that are working alongside with drones on a regular basis and it's sure to become more prevalent in the future.
Drone video recordings have even started to be involved in various court proceedings, in order to provide the jurors with a better visualization of where a possible crime might have happened. They are an amazing tool that have made their way into a variety of different markets and it's exciting to see the world transform because of this innovation.
Some policing experts in the UK have criticized the program, saying that it is likely going to lead to a “nightmare scenario” and that this is the sort of stuff that Orwellian nightmares are made of. Let's just hope for the best, shall we?
If the police are really concerned about resources and want to use them more wisely, then I would suggest to them that they stop focusing on wasting those resources over victimless crimes and instead re-focus their energy on other activities.
Pics:
News article Devon and Cornwall Police
Giphy
TechCrunch
Sources:
https://heatst.com/life/uk-police-to-be-replaced-by-drone-officers/
https://www.rte.ie/news/2017/0320/861015-uk-police-drones/
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/3129028/cops-launch-spy-drone-flying-squad/
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4329714/Remote-controlled-flying-squad-chase-criminals.html
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