Drone usage is becoming an increasing phenomenon in the military and security. SWAT teams and Police had earlier used a drone to nab a suspect. Last month, the jail chief of HMP Lindholme in Hatfield, Doncaster, used a drone to locate two inmates who had escaped from the facility. Modern drones are equipped with much more than ultra high definition cameras. Thermal cameras, infrared and many such sensors coupled with high-speed GPU make drones one of the most advanced aerial machines.
Drones can form perimeters faster than humans
Drones can be deployed in less than five minutes and can scale an enormous area. It has been reported that inmates had earlier taken drone assistance to receive drugs and phones inside the prison. The jail chief, turned this around when he used police drones to track down the escapees.
The drone was operated by the elite National Tactical Response Group – known as the Prison Service’s SAS – who respond to all riots, hostage crises, and protests in jails.
This incident took place last month, when during a lunch-time roll call, two inmates were found missing. Guards were immediately alerted and the force sprung into action.
The four-engined drone was used to hover over the former RAF base near Doncaster, South Yorks, as patrol dogs worked on the ground. The operating team viewed the footage carefully from their stations and the two inmates were later captured that evening.
A police spokesperson said, “We have a number of drones we can use to locate missing prisoners and monitor incidents at height.” However, the spokesperson refused to comment about the operational costs of the drone or what model it was, citing ‘security concerns’.
While anti-drone measures are being strengthened to prevent misuse of UAVs, it is also true that they’re also the ultimate tool for safety.
