Radio-controlled aircraft to be used by police around Gatwick

From this month officers are running a trial using a small unmanned aerial system (UAS) at and around the airport that will give them an eye in the sky to deal with potential incidents.

The system will be able to beam live high-quality pictures to officers on the ground, allowing them to more quickly assess locations and film incidents from above.

An officer will control the aircraft from the ground, in line of sight, using a portable console from up to 500 metres away.

The trial of the Aeryon Skyranger system is being funded by the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) to test how effective it could be in policing.

Land owners close to the airport are being shown how the system works and are being asked for their permission to deploy the equipment from their land.

The officers who will be using the equipment will do so in line with the current Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) regulations.