Child Injured After Police Drone Crashes During Suspect Search
A child sustained hand injuries after a police drone collided with an overhead cable and plummeted to the ground on the Isle of Sheppey. The incident occurred on Saturday 2 August, while Kent Police were using the unmanned aircraft to locate a suspect in an assault case.
The injured child required treatment at a hospital in London following the crash. The drone involved was identified as a high-performance DJI M30T model, weighing approximately 4kg.
Senior Officer Under Investigation for Misconduct
A senior police officer, a special inspector, is now under investigation for misconduct in connection with the drone crash. The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has launched an independent investigation into the incident.
Alongside the police misconduct probe, the Air Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB) is conducting a separate safety investigation to determine the precise causes of the crash.
Details Emerge Through Freedom of Information Request
Specific details about the type of drone and the circumstances were uncovered through Freedom of Information requests. This transparency has brought the serious incident to public attention, raising questions about the operational use of police drones.
The investigations by both the IOPC and AAIB are ongoing as authorities work to understand the full sequence of events that led to the child's injury.
