Commissioner praises drone team helping keep Lancashire safe

The force’s drone team, based within the Lancashire Constabulary’s Specialist Operations Unit, respond to a range of incidents with different technology, supporting a wide variety of policing operations.

In 2024, drones were deployed to 1,394 incidents across Lancashire. The increased demand and subsequent growth in the capacity of the team has seen almost 400 deployments in the first 8 weeks of 2025 alone.

These include supporting road policing operations, major event policing, investigations and warrants, and search operations.

The drones, with different sizes and abilities depending on operational need, are also useful when working in more rural areas, or securing visuals of large areas.

Clive Grunshaw, Police and Crime Commissioner for Lancashire said:

“Utilising technology and staying one step ahead of offenders is an important part of keeping the people of Lancashire safe.

“Specialist teams play a key role in frontline policing, protecting the public and helping to bring offenders to justice. The use of drones is a vital tactic and is an area of policing that is only set to grow.

“Investing into such technology helps improve efficiency, effectiveness and productivity, alongside increasing use of digital forensics, and cyber-crime investigations, to keep pace with the tactics used by criminals and future-proofing the work officers do around the clock to fighting crime.

“Lancashire is leading the way on the use of drones and similar technology and I am keen to ensure this continues, encouraging the Government to look at ways to invest in expanding their use.

“As Commissioner I will ensure that Lancashire Constabulary have the resources and backing to deliver a service that is ready for the challenges that modern policing must face, through strong leadership and tough scrutiny.”