British Transport Police (BTP) now has seven operational sites with the capability to launch its pioneering ‘Drone in a Box’ (DIAB).

The use of drones has vastly improved BTP’s ability to respond to reports of trespassing and emergency incidents, and is being delivered through an innovative Drones Development Programme.

The programme integrates ‘Beyond Visual Line of Sight’ (BVLOS) drone technology into BTP’s wider operational capabilities.

A control room in London is the heart of the operation, where drones are launched and piloted remotely, and provides live aerial intelligence to officers and Network Rail staff on the ground within seconds.

A comprehensive ‘Safety Management System’ is implemented to ensure that BTP’s BVLOS drone operations are safe to both the aviation community and those on the ground.

The first launch site was established in Leeds in April 2025, since when four sites have been introduced at known trespass hotspots across south London, and in Leicester and Manchester.

Using drones helps to keep everyone on the railway safe, reduces risk for BTP officers and railway staff, and helps to keep the network moving.

Between 1st April and 25th July, 550 flights were conducted with BTP’s Drone in a Box, and in 68% of the operational incidents drones were the first resource on the scene, with an average response time of three minutes and 28 seconds.

During the same period, deploying drones saved nearly 8,000 delay minutes and made over £600,000 potential disruption savings for the railway.

British Transport Police in Scotland is also deploying drones so that they can respond more quickly to incidents, improve safety, and reduce disruption.

“We’re just over a year on from our first site launch in Leeds, and it’s great to see that our remote BVLOS drone capability is helping us reach incidents faster, make better-informed decisions and minimise disruption to the railway while keeping people safe. I’ve no doubt this capability will become even more instrumental as we continue to learn and fine-tune from every deployment. We couldn’t do it without the support of our partners at Network Rail and the DFTO, who’ve been instrumental in working with us throughout. We’re going to continue to invest in the capability to ensure it’s the best it possibly can be, with a planned move to a new flight operations room in London, and further sites scheduled to open in the coming months.”

BTP Chief Constable Lucy D’Orsi