Scottish police '˜could use drones for covert surveillance'

Officers plan to trial two unmanned aerial vehicles.

Police in Scotland could use drones for covert surveillance in some circumstances, a top officer has said.

Plans are under way to trial two £50,000 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to assist in operations such as missing person searches.

But Deputy Chief Constable Johnny Gwynne said it would be “ridiculous” if they were not used when secret surveillance could save a life.

Speaking at the Scottish Police Authority meeting in Dundee on Tuesday, he said: “Our position around the use of UAVs is ordinarily they would be used for overt police work.

“But it would seem ridiculous if our attempts to save a life would be precluded because we said we won’t use them for that (covert work).

“My commitment to you as an authority is that if this becomes regular, sustained use, we will bring that back to you and make that visible.”