Positioning the Drone: Policing the “Risky” Skies

Drones are likely to become more commonplace as we enter the second decade of the 21st century. But there are risks – both negative and positive in terms of their use and, more importantly, their misuse or abuse. With this comes the need to ensure the skies are policed appropriately. This research is part of ongoing research by the author, which, in this article, explores the police role and use of drones in order to determine if there is likely to be increasing ‘police drone squads’ developing. Historical contextualization is provided in terms of aviation, technological development and societies reaction and trust of the police. The research is focused on the UK (England and Wales) with some comparison analysis being provided with the US. The position of the EU and the UN (ICAO) is also briefly explored. The research finds that challenges need to be recognized and managed appropriately – now; and that mismanagement and other negative reporting would be likely to compromise and negatively affect police use.