Assurance for citizens

All technology, but particularly technologies used in policing, must be carefully considered before being implemented. It is recognised that if not carefully controlled, the use of drones in policing could potentially impact on human rights such as Freedom of Assembly and Association (Article 11), Freedom of Expression (Article 10), Freedom of Religion (Article 9), and the Right to Privacy (Article 8).

However, with a robust governance framework and a human rights based approach in place to assess the impact of drone use in different social contexts, Police Scotland will be at the forefront of the ethical implementation of technology.

Police Scotland will take steps to alert the public when operating drones. Officers who operate the drone will remain in close proximity to maintain line of sight of the device, wear high visibility uniform and have a marked police vehicle present. Where possible, announcements on social media (@polscotair) and engagement with people in the area will be undertaken prior to flying the drone.

As with all new technology there are human rights, equalities and ethical implications. These require careful consideration and, if necessary, measures must be put in place to protect individuals and groups.

Police Scotland are committed to policing by consent and will only deploy drones for legitimate policing purpose, where it is considered necessary and appropriate to do so.

Drones are not deployed to undertake covert surveillance. Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) and Equalities and Human Rights Impact Assessment (EqHRIA) were completed before drones were deployed operationally in May 2019. These are reviewed and updated annually to reflect changes in legislation, policy and technology.