Police officer Derek Charlton of Merseyside Police, operates the force's new aerial surveillance drone in Liverpool, England, Monday May 21, 2007. The remote control helicopter, fitted with CCTV cameras, will be used by officers to track criminals and record anti-social behaviour. The drones, which are almost silent when in use, are also fitted with night vision cameras, can be deployed to the air in less than three minutes, and provide instant high-quality images which can be transmitted to a support vehicle or to a control room.
(AP Photo/John Giles-pa)
British police test eye in the sky drone
LONDON --Police in northwestern England on Monday tested a tiny airborne drone fitted with a closed-circuit TV camera that will be used to spy on criminals.
The battery-operated drone, which resembles a miniature helicopter, will be operated by officers using a remote control. Made by German company Microdrones, the drone is three feet wide and weighs less than 2 1/2 pounds.
"It is a cost-effective way to deal with situations where you have to deploy a lot of officers," said Louise Burton, spokeswoman for Merseyside Police Force.
Able to record images from a height of 1,500 feet, the drone's design was based in part on pilotless military aircraft used for reconnaissance. It provides instant high-quality images that can be transmitted to a support vehicle or to a control room.
Merseyside police expect to receive the drone in June and will be giving it a three-month trial.
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