The Police Service of Northern Ireland is considering the use of mini UAS to combat crime and the dissident republican threat.
The aircraft under consideration is the Scout from Aeryon Labs. It is fitted with a camera that automatically tracks a subject, can relay live pictures back to the operator, has a three kilometre range and flies at ground speeds of 50 kilometres an hour.
Pat Sheehan, who is a Sinn Fein member of the Policing Board, said: “We believe the best results in the fight against crime are when the police and community work in partnership together. “Good policing won’t have technology as its cornerstone.”
However, Robin Newton of the DUP welcomed the proposals and said the UAS could also combat fuel smuggling and human trafficking. “It has the potential to make the lives of officers safer. The cost of a helicopter is around £7m. The cost of running three helicopters is around £5m per annum.” He added that the UAS could therefore have a “positive” effect on police budgets. A police UAS could cost at most £150,000. It is powered by batteries and is able to remain airborne for up to seven hours.
The Civil Aviation Authority has confirmed to the BBC that it has already had discussions with the PSNI about possible UAS deployment.
Security sources say border areas like south Armagh are where the use of the technology would be most valuable because they can cover large areas at a fraction of the cost of a helicopter.
Mr Sheehan said: “We will be listening to the proposals the police put to the Policing Board,” he added.
In a statement to the BBC, the PSNI said it constantly reviews the availability of new equipment and technology but at this stage has no immediate plans to buy any UAS.
Sources: BBC News Northern Ireland; BBC News Northern Ireland