UK law enforcement tests Schiebel Camcopter S-100 unmanned police helicopter as drones come into vogue
August 4, 2025
Police in the United Kingdom are expanding their use of drones with Schiebel Camcopter S-100 unmanned police helicopters. In the coming years, many services across the UK are expected to rely increasingly on drones for various types of roles.
UK tests new unmanned police helicopter
On 3 August 2025, the BBC reported that the UK police had tested a new type of larger unmanned police helicopter, the Schiebel Camcopter S-100, for the first time. The tests were carried out over the Bristol Channel during the night.
The BBC stated the move to include unmanned police helicopters is not intended to replace existing manned helicopters, but to add new capabilities. The remotely piloted helicopter offers a longer range, 90% lower emissions per hour, and greater loitering times, while also being quieter.
The Schiebel Camcopter S-100 has been equipped with the same high-powered infrared camera found on standard manned British police helicopters.
It seems there is no particular hurry to bring these new helicopters into service. The first test flights had been planned for October 2024, but were delayed. It’s expected to require years of testing before the NPAS brings them into service.
The Schiebel Camcopter S-100’s UK police niche
The vision for the future of police aviation is that drones will complement manned platforms. Unmanned drone helicopters will be particularly useful for search and rescue missions.
The UK’s National Police Air Service (NPAS) says these aircraft will be useful for carrying out searches for suspects and missing people. They can “stay on task anywhere between eight and 12 hours.” Around 30% of NPAS calls are to search for missing people.
David Walters, NPAS head of futures and innovation, also noted that these vehicles will help reduce costs. He said, “We get calls daily with a variety of different cases, from missing people, pursuits, calls around electric bikes and things like that, and it’s very costly to deploy our helicopters on an hourly basis.”
Meanwhile, the NPAS’s manned Airbus EC135 and EC145 helicopters are better suited for other missions, like higher-speed pursuits.
Unmanned police helicopters are part of a much wider trend
These unmanned police helicopters are piloted remotely at a ground station, supported by a police officer operating the camera. The BBC says the police tests are part of a larger set of drone trials that include Amazon deliveries and infrastructure inspections.
Drones or Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) are part of a far greater and burgeoning trend worldwide. Drones of varying descriptions now rule the skies over the battlefields of Ukraine, while Chinese police are using drones to airlift stranded people to safety.
British skies, like many others, are set to see increasing numbers of unmanned aircraft. These will be everything from drones assisting healthcare providers to railways inspecting infrastructure. Meanwhile, their use is expanding rapidly in the British armed forces, from the HM Coastguard to the Royal Navy.
The National Police Chief’s Council (NPCC) says a review in early 2023 found UK police forces were already using almost 400 drones with an appetite for more.
The NPCC foresees, “As the technology and airspace regulations evolve to allow pilots to fly drones beyond their line of sight, we see emergency services drones playing a growing role in public safety and crime reduction. It’s a huge programme that will have an impact across the UK. “
