Police drones take to sky

POLICE are to start using drones to monitor traffic and hunt down criminals, according to reports.

Testing will begin in the next two weeks to see how the remote-controlled aircraft can help offices monitor traffic and track down criminals, Le Figaro has reported.

Les Echos, meanwhile, reports that tests have already taken place in Oise.

The gendarmerie will be equipped with a fleet of microdrones that are ‘capable of fulfilling a wide range of missions,’ the newspaper reported yesterday. It added that the first drones are likely to be commissioned as early as next month.

Authorities hope the drones will allow police to fly into and film in hard-to-reach areas, without having to call on a police helicopter.

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