South Yorkshire Police drone school gets underway

SOUTH Yorkshire Police officers have got off to a flying start at ‘drone school’.

The new intensive week-long course will teach the budding police pilots, drawn from different divisions across the region, how to fly the machines to help colleagues deal with major incidents, search operations, crowd monitoring and to carry out warrants.

Once training is complete, the 19 officers will be able to provide 24/7 drone aerial cover across the region.

This week marked the start of their formal training, but they have been flying the unmanned craft for the past month under the guidance of existing drone operators.

Trainee pilot PC Mike Ramsden from Operational Support’s Road Policing Unit said: “There is a lot to learn and get your head around, the first morning alone was very intense, but it’s exciting and so good to be learning something new.”

So far, the officers have ticked off air law, navigation, airmanship and airspace management among other topics.

Existing drone operator PC Gordon Sitch from the Airport Policing Group said the training was a great opportunity for them.

“Day one is a lot to take on board, there were lots of very serious faces – which is good, it’s serious stuff,” he said.

“This is a great opportunity for these officers, but it’s also a big responsibility going ahead and it’s important they concentrate and work hard this week. I think we witnessed lots of minds being blown today…they’ll be revising hard tonight…”

Follow the officers’ progress on Twitter via #SYPdrones #droneschool