A Kent Police drone crashed into a child after the pilot missed a hidden overhead cable, causing a serious hand injury that required hospital treatment, an official probe has confirmed.
Drone Disaster in Sheerness
The crash happened last August in Sheerness, Kent, during a police operation hunting an assault suspect on the Isle of Sheppey. Officers deployed a cutting-edge DJI M30T drone, packed with thermal, wide-angle, and zoom cameras, but weighing around 4kg, it failed to spot a concealed cable and smashed into the youngster below.
The Air Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB) revealed: “The cable hazard had not been identified during the rapid deployment.” Kent Police and the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) have withheld the child’s age and injury specifics due to the ongoing inquiry.
First UK Police Drone Injury Under Investigation
This is the first known case in the UK of a civilian injured by a police drone, prompting an IOPC probe. A police inspector has been handed a misconduct notice over the mishap.
Local witness Danny Ashton-Keenan described the scene: “I heard a commotion and saw the street cordoned off with police and ambulances. There was an empty drone box on one pavement and the crashed drone on the other side, with paramedics treating someone.”
Limited Findings, Serious Concerns
The AAIB’s “record-only” investigation relied mostly on the drone pilot’s report. Their spokesperson said a full probe was unlikely to uncover new safety lessons: “A full investigation was unlikely to yield new safety findings that would benefit wider aviation safety.”
They also added: “Any incident involving injury, particularly to a member of the public, is deeply concerning for those affected.”
Kent Police have declined further comment while the IOPC’s investigation continues.
