Police drones are playing a "key role" in preventing disorder at Premier League football fixtures across the West Midlands as part of a £2m pilot scheme.
West Midlands Police has deployed the drones at Wolverhampton Wanderers, Aston Villa and Coventry City. The project started at the end of last season and uses aerial surveillance to give officers a greater overview of activity outside stadiums and ensure crowd safety.
How the drones work
The drones are launched before and after matches, hovering at more than 265ft (81m) above ground level. PCs Matt Lackie and George Howell operate the equipment, with footage fed in real time to a control room at the stadium where an inspector in charge can direct officers based on intelligence and operational needs.
PC George Howell, who described the drones as "mobile CCTV cameras", used the technology for the third time at Coventry City's home fixture against Brighton & Hove Albion last Sunday. The match, which Coventry lost 5-0, passed peacefully with no trouble reported.
Inspector Tom Hanna, the Bronze commander for the Coventry match, said the drones provide essential detail. "Without the drones, I wouldn't get the same level of detail, so it gives me an idea how everything's flowing," he said. "It's about getting ahead of any potential safety and crime issues."
Premier League backing
The Premier League has described the pilot as "really positive" in tackling potential incidents as soon as they occur. Claire Sumner from the Premier League said: "This pilot will help us learn things together and strengthen that partnership between policing, our clubs and our stewards because those are the magic ingredients. The less visible policing presence, which drones help with, is a really good thing."
The pilot is due to last until the end of the current Premier League season.
