Nottinghamshire Police Drones Soar to New Heights in Crime Fighting
Nottinghamshire Police are unleashing the full power of drones like never before to nab criminals, gather crucial evidence, and hunt for missing people. The force’s drone team has smashed records with nearly 1,400 deployments in the year to April 2023.
Sky Coppers: Drones Take Centre Stage on Channel 4
Tonight’s Channel 4 documentary Sky Coppers offers an unprecedented look at how drone tech has revolutionised modern policing. It’s the first show dedicated solely to the flying mini-cameras that are changing the game.
Since launching in January 2021, Nottinghamshire Police’s six high-tech drones have logged over 2,000 additional support requests. Fifteen pilots juggle drone shifts alongside their policing duties, pulling off pre-planned and rapid-response missions.
Hero Drone Saves Vulnerable Woman in Mansfield Woods
More than a third of emergency drone flights respond to missing person reports. One dramatic rescue saw officers spot a young woman’s white trainers poking through dense Mansfield woodland, potentially saving her life.
“Our drone fleet now gives officers 24/7 access to aerial support, something unthinkable just a few years ago,” said Sergeant Vince Saunders, chief drone pilot. “Thermal imaging lets us cover huge areas fast and find people far quicker than before. On one occasion, this technology saved a life.”
“Simply put, drones help us find people who might otherwise be lost, catch criminals who could’ve escaped, and uncover evidence we might have missed. It’s an exciting leap forward in British policing, and I’m proud to be part of it.”
