October 29, 2026 - 394 views
A specialist police drone team has helped locate 35 missing or vulnerable people across North Wales so far this year, as it marks five years since it was established.
The North Wales Police Drone Team was launched in 2021 and now consists of a sergeant and six police constables, supported by auxiliary pilots from the Roads Crime Team.
The team responds to around 1,100 tasks each year, helping officers search for missing people, locate suspects and gather evidence across the force area.
In August alone, the team found 11 people reported missing or vulnerable. Police say drones allow officers to search large areas quickly, particularly when someone may be at risk, including people living with dementia.
Since its introduction, the team has also directly located more than 55 suspects using drones, helping officers make arrests and progress investigations.
Sergeant Paul Terry, who leads the team, said having a dedicated drone unit had transformed the force’s ability to support victims and vulnerable people.
He said being able to see an area from above meant officers could often find someone sooner, adding that the speed of searches had, in his view, helped save lives.
The drones are also used to support police operations, gather intelligence, record crime scenes and create three-dimensional scans of larger locations. Live video feeds can give commanders and officers on the ground a clearer picture of developing incidents.
The team also works alongside other emergency services and specialist organisations, including North Wales Fire and Rescue Service, Coastguard and Mountain Rescue teams.
Sergeant Terry said he was proud of what the team had achieved during its first five years and looked forward to seeing its capabilities develop further.
