Report Summary
A Public Briefing explaining the use of drones by Police Scotland, and the assurances for the public. Published in October 2021.
Why use drones used in policing?
Although drone technology has been around since the mid-20th century, it is only within the last decade or so that they have begun to be incorporated into public safety operations and to support certain policing activities across the world.
In Canada, drones are used by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police to assist in aerial support of search-and-rescue operations in difficult to reach terrains. Camera-fitted devices are also used by more than half of the 26 cantonal police corps in Switzerland, mainly for aerial photography of traffic accidents.
Throughout the UK, many police departments utilise drones for a number of purposes. Lincolnshire Police have notably used thermal scanner enabled drones for uncovering a large cannabis farm; and Norfolk Police have deployed drones for crowd control and public order cases.
With the rise of drone usage in the UK and beyond, there has also been increased scrutiny regarding their implications for civil society. Augmented technology such as 3D-scan modelling, thermal detection, and real-time biometric analysis can now be applied to drone devices. As a result, importance should be placed on ensuring transparent and robust oversight and operating procedures are in place when thinking about the kind of work for which drones could be used.
