Coventry deploys BVLOS drones funded by NPCC

Police drones operated remotely from Birmingham are now flying over Coventry as part of a national programme aimed at improving response times, situational awareness and officer safety.

The initiative marks the latest phase of a five-year project exploring the use of drones as a ‘first responder’ capability. Previous deployments have operated from Junction 9 of the M6 in Walsall and University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire. Coventry is the latest city to host the technology, with two drones currently active.

The project is led and funded by the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) as part of the national Beyond Visual Line of Sight Pathways Programme, working closely with the Civil Aviation Authority and funded by the Home Office. Other participating forces include Cheshire, Cleveland, the Metropolitan Police, Norfolk, Thames Valley and North Yorkshire.

The drones are housed in secure, weatherproof, automated charging stations located on the roof of a city centre building. When an incident is reported within range, trained police drone pilots based in a Birmingham control centre remotely launch and fly the aircraft to the scene.

From altitude, the drones use high-definition and thermal imaging cameras to assess incidents, gather early visual evidence, locate missing people, track suspects and relay live intelligence to officers responding on the ground.

“Working with the Civil Aviation Authority, the project is fully funded by the Home Office via the NPCC. This includes the costs of staffing, meaning we get extra resources to prevent and detect real crimes, affecting the communities we serve.

“As if that was not enough, we benefit from all of the learning in real-time, while shaping British policing’s future use of drones.”

Matt Welsted, Assistant Chief Constable, West Midlands Police.

Under existing aviation rules, police drones typically have to be flown by a pilot on site and within line of sight, limiting operations to around 500 metres. Under the Drone as First Responder model, the aircraft are operated from 21 miles away and can cover a 2.5km radius, which is an operational area of almost 20 square kilometres.

Over the past 12 months, remotely operated drones have already delivered operational benefits. West Midlands Police says the technology has saved officer time, improved decision-making and reduced unnecessary deployments.

Examples include confirming reports of motorway trespassers were lawful truck spotters, pinpointing dangerous debris miles from its reported location, and quickly ruling out large search areas for high-risk missing people. Drones have also been used to track suspects in serious incidents, including firearms-related reports and domestic abuse offences, leading to arrests and charges.

The drones are fitted with multiple safety systems, including parachutes and active weather monitoring technology that can automatically ground aircraft if conditions deteriorate. They can operate day and night using thermal imaging.

“National guidelines say that police forces must arrive at emergencies as a soon as possible, but within 15 minutes. Traffic jams and road closures can cause delays – challenges that do not affect drones which can fly up to 120 meters high and at a maximum range of 500 meters.”

Superintendent Taryn Evans, NPCC lead for Drone as First Responder

West Midlands Police currently operates 15 drones with 20 dedicated pilots. The force’s 24/7 drone unit was established in April 2023, building on drone use that began in 2017. Coventry’s selection reflects its wider ambition to become a ‘drone-ready city’, integrating new aviation technologies into urban infrastructure.

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