Police are using the new technology across Coventry
Drones were used to track a man who had allegedly strangled a woman in Coventry. His arrest marked a key step in a new initiative to integrate advanced technology into policing.
Police said the man faces strangulation, assault, threats to kill, and coercive control charges. Officers also deployed the technology to track a teenager reported to be carrying a gun, quickly intercepting him before any potential danger could unfold.
Skyborne units were also used to confirm that a high-risk missing person was not in a large field. Officers quickly refocused their searches and moved to other areas of Coventry.
Drones are equipped with thermal imaging technology, parachutes for safety, and charging stations with weather-monitoring systems. Operated from Birmingham, they are stored in automated charging stations located on the roof of a city centre building.
Pilots deploy the drones and fly them to incident locations in Coventry, Birmingham and the Black Country. As the latest phase of a five-year project, this builds on previous deployments on the M6 and at University Hospital Coventry.
Crime scene footage has been instrumental in securing lengthy jail terms for crimes across the West Midlands. Drone technology within policing is being developed to assess scenes, inform resourcing decisions, and provide real-time intelligence.
Assistant Chief Constable Matt Welsted said: “Working with the Civil Aviation Authority, the project is fully funded by the Home Office via the NPCC. It includes the costs of staffing, meaning we get extra resources to prevent and detect real crimes, affecting the communities we serve.”
He continued: “Drone First Responders is a hugely exciting innovation related to the very latest capability around police use of drones. We have got two operating in Coventry because it is a drone-ready city, and they are amazing at getting quickly to the scenes of incidents that we need to understand what is happening, gather evidence, and keep the public safe.”
Superintendent Taryn Evans added: “National guidelines say that police forces must arrive at emergencies as 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 metres high and at a maximum range of 500 metres.
“Having them already securely stored and fully charged in areas of high demand will further speed up their arrival time while providing the officers who are on their way with important information. It will also help us secure the help of partner agencies quickly. Multiple drones could attend the scene, monitor, track suspects and complete searches for evidence or witnesses.”
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