British Transport Police (BTP) has unveiled a new drone system in Greater Manchester, operated from a flight operations centre in central London more than 200 miles away. The technology has already assisted with around 20 incidents since its launch in early April.
One recent case involved a vulnerable woman at Ashburys railway station in Openshaw, whose location was detected by the drone and relayed to officers on the ground. She was offered help and support. In another incident, a drone monitored the scene as passengers were taken off a broken-down train by Network Rail staff on the tracks in central Manchester. Both incidents happened in August.
Drone in a Box sites
Seven so-called 'Drone in a Box' sites are now operational, with Manchester's base at Network Rail's Rail Operating Centre in Wolverton Street the latest to go live. Two drones, each capable of flying for around 25 minutes, can be deployed from the roof of the building within seconds. They emerge from, and are flown back into, special boxes and are controlled by drone pilots in London.
What the drone sees, the pilots see, with the information and visuals instantly relayed to responding officers on the ground. The force said the drones 'further strengthen our ability to locate trespassers and respond to emergency incidents on the railways'. Live aerial intelligence is able to be passed on to officers and Network Rail staff on the ground in seconds.
Hot-spot locations
As well as Leeds and Manchester, bases are located at Hither Green, Selhurst, Chislehurst, Lewisham and Leicester - all chosen as they are known trespass hot-spots. The drones can also respond to incidents including searches for missing people, major incidents such as train derailments or collisions and serious crimes like assault, as well as trackside obstructions. Whizzing through the air, they can reach sites far more quickly than a police vehicle on the roads can.
The Manchester site is the second busiest out of the seven locations, BTP said, and Manchester is a known hot-spot for trespass incidents on the railway.
Chief Constable's view
BTP Chief Constable Lucy D'Orsi was in Manchester to see the drones in operation. She said: "It is my ambition that we make trespass on the railway network socially unacceptable. The drones are allowing us to capture issues on the railway live as they occur."
"We are enabled by the technology to make decisions on the ground and take images. The drones are an early first responder. It is a new and modern way to help us prevent criminality on the railway and to keep the railway moving." The use of the drones, added the Chief Constable, is giving officers on the ground key 'situational awareness'. They are able to zoom in to assess whether any suspect is carrying a weapon - and can even reveal a person's demeanour and stance from the skies above. Chief Constable D'Orsi said the force hoped to increase the number of drones and sites at which they are based in the future.
