Remote-controlled drones have been used by the military for quite some time now and it seems it was time for the police forces to resort to them too, in order to make their actions more efficient in serving and protecting citizens. To be more precise, the British police have announced that they are now testing pilotless planes that would be used to track down dangerous suspects.

Armed with heat-seeking cameras, the UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) would hover hundreds of feet in the air, gathering intelligence and watching suspects. One such device is the Microdone, which has been trialed by Merseyside police. This flying device features GPS technology, which allows officers to navigate it. Also, it contains a memory card to store recordings from several flights

 

In theory, their advantages are clear. They are cheaper and quieter than conventional helicopters, can circle their target for hours without refueling and they don't get bored on long surveillance missions, need food or sleep. However, their use is likely to further fuel concerns about UK's march towards a Big Brother state, as the state already has more CCTV cameras than the rest of Europe put together.

 

The plan to deploy 'spy in the sky' planes is outlined in the Home Office's latest Science and Innovation Strategy, which says that UAVs are likely to be an increasingly useful tool for police in the future, potentially reducing the number of dangerous situations the police may have to enter and also providing evidence for prosecutions and support police operations in "real time."

 

The drones could also help officers plan raids in locations that are hard to reach, record and monitor accidents or spot speeding offenses or reckless or uninsured drivers, plus alleged terrorists. Special goggles enable officers to see exactly what the drone is filming so that they can react immediately.

 

However, the introduction of UAVs is not entirely saluted by authorities, as they first have to make sure that they are able to provide high-quality evidence for convictions, not to mention the fact that they have to ensure the fact that the UAVs are safe for people, not being prone to crashes on takeoff and landing.

 

A trial by Merseyside police, of 30,000 pound remote-controlled miniature helicopters with still, video or infra-red cameras, highlighted more mundane problems related to battery life and the effects of bad weather on flights. So, it will probably take some time until the British police actually start using UAVs.

 

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