Press releases
Friday 28 February 2025
Uncrewed aircraft manufacturer Schiebel selected for UK police trials
The National Police Air Service (NPAS) has selected global manufacturer Schiebel to support its most ambitious trial so far of ‘Beyond the Visual Line of Sight’ (BVLOS) uncrewed aircraft operations.
The trial – which, in 2024, successfully achieved a place in the Civil Aviation Authority’s (CAA) BVLOS integration sandbox - will evaluate the feasibility of using uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) to work alongside crewed police helicopters and aeroplanes in support of policing operations across England and Wales.
David Walters, NPAS Head of Futures and Innovation, said the aim of the trial was to determine if advancements in aviation technology can bring future benefits to policing and, if they can, how they could be safely introduced into UK airspace.
“We will be evaluating how we might integrate uncrewed aircraft into the existing NPAS operating model, under the current management of our CAA-approved Accountable Manager and Form 4 certificate-holders, who are qualified and accountable for the delivery of safe police air operations over England and Wales,” said David Walters.
Schiebel will be flying the CAMCOPTER S-100 in a carefully selected and controlled environment to assess the UAS capabilities, as part of the concept for a future blended fleet, operated by NPAS.
“The CAMCOPTER S-100 is being operated worldwide with over 40 customers so far, including the UK Royal Navy. With its unrivalled experience and outstanding capabilities, the S-100 is the ideal UAS for this trial,” said Neil Hunter, Head of Global Sales at Schiebel.
“Schiebel prides itself at being at the forefront of delivering UAS technology globally and is continually looking to support the expansion and growth of UAS, specifically in the commercial market. In Western Europe alone it has won contracts with the European Maritime Safety Agency, and with Bristow Group supporting their UK Search and Rescue operations. Being chosen to fulfil this exciting and ground-breaking NPAS trial is testament to the S-100 pedigree and maturity,” he added.
Schiebel will join the National Air Traffic Control Service (NATS) as part of the team supporting the NPAS Futures and Innovation team with the trial, which is funded by the Home Office and scheduled to see its first test flight in summer 2025.
After extensive consultation, an area in the Severn estuary, in South West England, has been selected for the trial flights, away from any built-up environments.
For the last 24 months, NPAS has been building a robust safety case, which has included testing a ‘detect and avoid’ solution, to ensure the trial can operate safely and with minimum disruption to the public and other airspace users.
Along with the potential capabilities for policing operations, the trial will also evaluate the effectiveness of the ‘detect and avoid’ solution.
“We cannot predict the outcome of the trial, but it is imperative we deliver the same, or improved, capability that we have today with our crewed aircraft. The desired outcome is to be able to offer police forces in England and Wales a way of supporting their operations in an even more flexible way, with a continued emphasis on public safety,” added David Walters.
The National Police Air Service was formed in 2012 as part of a collaboration between all police forces in England and Wales to deliver efficient, borderless air support.
With an existing fleet of 19 helicopters and four aeroplanes, operating from 15 regional bases, the service responds to around 100 calls for service each day.
Air support deployments most commonly range from high-risk missing people and vehicle pursuits to firearms containments, public order and crowd control, intelligence-gathering, counter-terrorism, major incidents and aerial searches.
Friday 22 November 2024
Stakeholders asked their views on police 'remotely piloted' aircraft trials
Stakeholders are being given the opportunity to share their views on the proposed six-month trial of a Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLoS) Uncrewed Aerial System (UAS), led by the National Police Air Service (NPAS) and funded by the Home Office.
The project is part of a Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) Sandbox to help develop and test the concept of BVLoS uncrewed aircraft and collect data which will help inform CAA policies for the integration of new airspace users.
For policing, the trial seeks to determine if RPAS can be an effective addition to the existing national helicopter and aeroplane fleet by:
- Assessing strengths and weaknesses of operating the required NPAS payloads on a remote platform.
- Operating the RPAS alongside crewed aircraft.
- Determining if crewed NPAS operations can be replicated with a RPAS.
- Training NPAS pilots in order that they can perform supervised sorties with the aircraft and feedback comparisons to the crewed fleet.
- Assessing the feasibility of an onboard detect and avoid system.
The trial will operate from a private, commercially-run site on the edge of the Severn Estuary, providing easy access to over-water and over-land flying.
It is designed to minimise the impact on other airspace users
From Friday 22 November 2024, for one month, NPAS will enter a period of engagement, to ask the views of stakeholders, including other airspace users and interested parties, such as environmental groups.
Airspace change proposal (caa.co.uk)
The trial is expected to begin in May 2025 and end in November 2025.
The RPAS to be used is an uncrewed aircraft with a rotary wing. It will have the ability to remain airborne for up to six hours.
The aircraft will be operated by qualified and licensed pilots provided by the RPAS supplier. NPAS pilots will provide local knowledge and be trained to support the activities during later trial phases.
They will only operate the aircraft under supervision of the RPAS supplier’s qualified pilots.
The ultimate aim is to collect suitable data to evaluate and determine if RPAS can deliver police air support remotely; by identifying any strengths and weaknesses of the equipment being used, determining if onboard radar can be used to detect other aircraft and understanding any differences in human factors when delivering remote policing operations compared to traditional, crewed police air support.
Thursday 15th August 2024
NPAS to trial uncrewed aircraft
The National Police Air Service (NPAS), in partnership with the National Air Traffic Control Service (NATS) and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), is embarking on its most ambitious trial of uncrewed aircraft in support of policing.
The trials will assess the feasibility of using ‘beyond the visual line of sight’ (BVLOS) uncrewed aerial systems, known as UAS, to work alongside traditional police helicopters and aeroplanes in delivering air support to police forces across England and Wales.
As part of the pioneering project, NPAS has been awarded a position in the CAA’s BVLOS Integration Sandbox.
The CAA is the UK’s aviation regulator, ensuring the industry meets the highest safety standards. Sandboxes are controlled environments where organisations can test and develop new technology against the regulatory framework, helping applicants maximise the readiness of their innovation, and the CAA to evolve regulations.
For NPAS to be awarded a position in the Sandbox is a significant step forward in its Futures and Innovation Programme.
Sophie O’Sullivan, Director of Future of Flight at the UK Civil Aviation Authority, said:
“These innovative trials mark a significant step forward in integrating drones safely into UK airspace.
“Our goal is to make drone operations beyond visual line of sight a safe and everyday reality, contributing to the modernisation of UK airspace and the incorporation of new technology into our skies.”
As the UK's leading provider of air traffic control services, NATS is also supporting NPAS with the approval of trial airspace for the uncrewed aircraft, plus airspace integration and safety oversight.
Along with the skills and experience of the police aviation team at NPAS, the partnership brings together the very best expertise in aviation safety and air support to explore the potentially exciting opportunities that uncrewed aircraft could offer policing in the future.
Richard Ellis, NATS New Airspace Users Director, said:
“We are absolutely delighted to be working with NPAS on what is a pioneering project, both for the future of policing and the wider adoption of drones in the UK. NPAS is combining leading technology with an innovative approach and focus on safety, something that aligns perfectly with NATS’ ambition to enable an integrated airspace for all users. We are hugely excited to be working together to demonstrate this pivotal user case and provide valuable data to the CAA.”
The trials are funded by the Home Office as part of a wider investment into drone technology in policing.
David Walters, Head of Futures and Innovation at NPAS, said:
“As technology advances, so too do the opportunities for police air support. The trial will be operating uncrewed aircraft capable of staying airborne for more than six hours and fitted with mission equipment comparable to those on the existing NPAS fleet. If trials are successful, this will enable delivery of a very highly capable air support blended fleet of police helicopters, aeroplanes and uncrewed aircraft in future years.”
The UAS will be flown by qualified NPAS pilots, supported by highly experienced tactical flight officers.
“Nothing replaces the value that the skills and experience of NPAS pilots and tactical flight officers bring to policing,” added David.
“These trials are about enhancing the aviation service delivered by our traditional aircraft and crews and creating a blended fleet which offers even greater capabilities.
“NPAS is highly regarded within the regulatory environment for its high standards of safety and compliance, making it perfectly placed to lead these trials.”
If the concept is proven, the vision is for our highly skilled crew members to pilot the uncrewed aircraft from selected NPAS bases, using the experience and expertise of our tactical flight officers to maximise their effectiveness in delivering successful police operations.
The trials, which are expected to begin in Spring 2025, will be run from an existing NPAS base in the South West region, selected for its unique position to operate over water for aircraft shakedown testing, and then progress inshore once levels of safety assurance have been met.
NPAS is currently working with BlueLight Commercial to procure a supplier for the UAS which is to be trialled.