Monday, May 21, 2007

Police in the United Kingdom are now testing the use of “spy drones” in the skies over the country in a bid to stop criminal activity.

The drone will be equipped with cameras linked to CCTV, and will be only one meter in width and will weigh 2 to 3 pounds. The camera will be able to take images of the surrounding area as far away as 500 meters and at an altitude of almost 2,000 feet. It is powered by batteries and is reported to look much like a “miniature helicopter.”

The operator views the output via a head mounted display and uses this to control the aircraft.

“It is a cost-effective way to deal with situations where you have to deploy a lot of officers,” said a Merseyside Police Force spokeswoman, Louise Burton.

The drone was originally built for military use.