Commercial Drone Use – New Horizons

• by Anthony Orjally
• Advent IM Blog

Commercial drones offer new horizons for innovation in public services. The UK Government has a pivotal role in shaping regulation, infrastructure, and incentives to support wider adoption. With the right framework, this technology could fundamentally transform how the public sector operates.

One example comes from the British Transport Police (BTP), which has become the first police force in the UK to push the boundaries of drone legislation by operationalising a ‘drone-in-a-box’ system capable of flying beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS).

The new system enables drones to be flown remotely from BTP’s operations room, responding to trespassing and disruption incidents at railway hotspots around the country. The drones are deployed at fixed sites, including Leeds and London, and launched from secure docking stations.

Most drone operations in the UK are limited to Visual Line of Sight (typically around 500 metres). However, BTP’s setup allows the force to legally and routinely operate Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) in support of frontline policing — not just during emergencies.

In order to gain approval from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), BTP is restricted to areas of airspace rarely used by other aircraft, and their drones are limited to operating below 120 metres in altitude. Additional risk mitigations include an automatic parachute or controlled landing in the event of a communication link failure, geofencing, and a kill/termination system.

There are huge economic and environmental benefits to be gained from utilising drone technology. Large volumes of the rail network can be monitored, with a focus on vulnerable areas, allowing for a faster and more targeted policing response.

There are endless advantages and opportunities to be had by the UK Government in harnessing BVLOS ‘drone overwatch’ to support protection of CNI sites and detection of crime, but at what cost to data privacy and individual liberties?

Data CIA and Use:  Drones capture vast amounts of video and potentially other forms of data. This raises important questions about the Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability (CIA) of that data, and what assurances can be provided to prevent mission creep — i.e., the use of data beyond its original purpose of supporting policing. For example, will AI-driven facial recognition capabilities be incorporated, and if so, under what safeguards?

Surveillance Collateral Intrusion:  The wide-area coverage of drones could inadvertently capture individuals engaging in lawful activities, raising questions about whether these individuals are being subjected to surveillance without their knowledge or consent.

Erosion of Trust: Widespread surveillance through drones could erode public trust in law enforcement agencies and create a sense of fear and mistrust.

In summary, there are clear environmental and economic advantages to utilising drones in a BVLOS capacity; however, governance and legislation must keep pace with the technology to ensure its use is justified, proportionate, and necessary — thereby maintaining public confidence.

Written by Jon Carpenter.