Police aviation in United Kingdom provides British police forces with an aerial support unit to assist them in pursuit, surveillance and tracking. All police aviation in England and Wales comes under the National Police Air Service (NPAS), while Police Scotland and the Police Service of Northern Ireland operate independent units.
In addition to its fleet of helicopters, NPAS has introduced four Vulcanair P68R, which are fixed-wing aircraft able to provide longer flying time and lower running costs.
Police aviation in England and Wales was once a force-by-force, or forces working in partnership, organisation, however from 2012 to 2015 it transitioned to NPAS. [1]
 | This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (January 2014) |
In 1921, an R33 airship was able to help the police in traffic control around the Epsom and Ascot horse-racing events. [2]
The large mural, depicting the 1936 Battle of Cable Street public order incident on the side of St. George's Town Hall in the East End of London, depicts the police autogyro overhead that was present on the day. [3] [4] [5]
Aerial units are often tasked to assist in vehicle pursuits. Air support allows ground units to disengage and follow from a discreet distance, hopefully making the pursuit less dangerous while still allowing ground units to be able to close in quickly as directed to apprehend suspects. Aerial surveillance also allows the police to anticipate the direction of the pursuit, and position ground units ahead of the suspect to block roads or deploy spike strips. Aerial units can also be used to efficiently locate missing persons.
Police helicopters are crewed by three people; a civilian pilot and two tactical flight officers (TFO). The pilot and a TFO sit up-front with eye contact with the ground. The TFOs are responsible for controlling the camera systems, recording images for evidence in court and navigation, including aiding the pilot.
During an incident, ground and aerial units are able to communicate directly with each other, using the call sign of the unit.
Most police helicopters are fitted with a sphere shaped housing or pod usually under the nose of the aircraft the purpose of which is to support and stabilise two cameras using a gyroscope stabilisation system. The two cameras are a standard "day camera" (a colour camera equipped with a powerful zoom lens) and a thermal imaging camera, which enables heat to be detected and is usually utilised during hours of darkness or in the search for persons in hiding. The cameras are normally connected to controls located in the cabin of the aircraft that allow the air observer to directly control them. They are also linked to a recording system and downlink system. The Vulcanair P68R aeroplanes are fitted with a Wescam MX-15. [6]
Force helicopters are usually equipped with a powerful "Nightsun" search light that is capable of illuminating a large area. [7]
The Metropolitan Police Service has reportedly been secretly using Cessna aircraft for a number of years that have been fitted with surveillance equipment capable of intercepting mobile phone calls and listening in on conversations. [8]
 | This section needs expansionwith: information about the West Midlands Police 'WMP Drones' unit. You can help by adding to it. (July 2023) |
In 2010, The Guardian reported police forces and government agencies across the UK are exploring the potential of unmanned drones for covert aerial surveillance, security, or emergency operations. They said at least four forces – Merseyside, Essex, Staffordshire and British Transport police – have bought or used microdrones. Microdrones can be fitted with video cameras, thermal imaging devices, radiation detectors, mobile-phone jammers and air sampling devices. Hovering at heights of around 60 metres (200 ft), they are said by manufacturers to be virtually invisible from the ground. The costs of operating the drones are considerably less than operating helicopters. [9]
A member of the crew, usually a police constable, occupies the rear seat of the helicopter. The primary purpose of this crew member is to relay critical information to police units that are on the ground. In the case of traffic pursuits, this crew member will provide a running commentary of the exact location of the suspect's car, utilising either paper maps or a computerised mapping and navigation system.
Police helicopters are usually fitted with radios capable of transmitting and receiving communications on their force's and other force's Airwave TETRA radio system. More recently, police helicopters have been fitted with a device that allows live video images to be transmitted directly to the force command centre by way of a downlink system. [7] Commonly fitted to the underside of the helicopter is a public address system, known as "Skyshout". [7]
In situations where a patient is critically injured, the police helicopter can be called upon to provide air transport of a patient, directly to the most appropriate major trauma centre. CASEVACS, or casualty evacuation, are uncommon, but can be carried out if no HM Coastguard or air ambulances are available. Police helicopters carry basic life support equipment, along with a stretcher for transport. A doctor or paramedic can travel with the patient, monitoring them from the spare seat.
The following is a list of police aviation units in the UK and the forces or areas to which they are assigned.
| Aviation unit | Forces served | Police radio call-sign | Air traffic call-sign | Aircraft |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| National Police Air Service [31] | All police forces in England and Wales | NPAS 21, 16, 51, 13, 45, 31, 33, 43, 44, 22, 54, 61, 62, 63, 63, 32, 15, 47 | Police 40, Police 28, Police 09, Police 01, Police 42, Police 10, Police 06, Police 03, Police 04, Police 381, Police 382, Police 12, Police 22, Police 13, Police 151, Police 152, Police 153, Police 154, Police 19, Police 21, Police 24, Police 251, Police 252, Police 253, Police 08, Police 29, Police 32, Police 33, Police 35, Police 41, Police 43 | EC135 [32] [33] EC145 P68R [6] |
| Police Service of Northern Ireland Air Support Unit | Police Service of Northern Ireland | Police 441, Police 442, Police 443, Scout 1 | Police 441, Police 442, Police 443, Scout 1 | EC135 EC145 [34] BN2T [35] BN2T-4S [36] |
| Police Scotland Air Support Unit | Police Scotland | SP70 | Police 51 | EC135 [37] [38] |
Helicopters are based at North Weald Airfield, RAF Benson, Redhill Aerodrome, Newcastle Airport, Carr Gate, Barton Aerodrome, Birmingham Airport, Husbands Bosworth, Almondsbury, MOD St Athan, Bournemouth Airport, Exeter Airport, Hawarden Airport, Belfast International Airport, Glasgow City Heliport.
Fixed wing aircraft are based at Doncaster Sheffield Airport.
The Airbus Helicopters H135, is a twin-engine civil light utility helicopter produced by Airbus Helicopters, formerly known as Eurocopter. It is capable of flight under instrument flight rules (IFR) and is outfitted with a digital automatic flight control system (AFCS). First flying in February 1994, it entered service in 1996. 1,400 have been delivered up to September 2020, to 300 operators in 60 countries, accumulating over 5 million flight hours. It is mainly used for air medical transport (medevac), corporate transport, law enforcement, offshore wind support, and military flight training. Half of them are in Europe and a quarter in North America. The H135M, certified under the name Eurocopter EC635, is a military variant, so the overall design is known as the Airbus Helicopters H135 and the military version, as the Airbus Helicopters H135M. The EC135/H135 is a development of the older Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm (MBB) Bo 105.
The Air Support Unit (ASU) was a Central Operations branch of London's Metropolitan Police Service. The main responsibility of the unit was to provide aerial reconnaissance and other air support operations. Helicopters are particularly useful in aiding searches for missing persons, car pursuits, suspect capture and large public order operations such as football matches. The ASU also supported other emergency services, including the London Fire Brigade, London Ambulance Service and Marine Coastguard. On 31 March 2015, the National Police Air Service took over providing air support to the Metropolitan Police Service. This resulted in the closure of the Metropolitan Police Air Support Unit.
The Eurocopter AS350 Écureuil, now Airbus Helicopters H125, is a single-engine light utility helicopter originally designed and manufactured in France by Aérospatiale and Eurocopter. In North America, the AS350 is marketed as the AStar. The AS355 Ecureuil 2 is a twin-engine variant, marketed in North America as the TwinStar.
British International Helicopter Services (BIH), owned by Bristow Group, is a British-owned helicopter operator. It operates a fleet of ten helicopters covering search and rescue, offshore, defence, charter and flying training activities from its bases at Newquay Airport, Coventry Airport and RAF Mount Pleasant in the Falkland Islands.
The Westpac Lifesaver Rescue Helicopter Service is a helicopter surf lifesaving service that operates in Australia.
The EurocopterAS355 Écureuil 2 is a twin-engine light utility helicopter developed and originally manufactured by Aérospatiale in France.
The Chiltern Air Support Unit (CASU) was a police helicopter unit that operated under a consortium agreement between Bedfordshire Police, Thames Valley Police and Hertfordshire Police until 1 October 2012, when it merged into the National Police Air Service.
The North East Air Support Unit was the main aerial support for police forces in north east England. It has since been replaced by the National Police Air Service, which provides borderless police aviation support across England and Wales.
Air ambulance services in the United Kingdom provide emergency medical functions, patient transport between specialist centres, or medical repatriation. Services are provided by a mixture of organisations, operating either helicopters or fixed-wing aircraft. All emergency air ambulance helicopters in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland are operated by charities, while Scotland has one charity service in addition to its two NHS-funded helicopters. Fixed-wing air ambulances, used for patient transport, may be government or privately operated. Air ambulance helicopters are complemented by Coastguard SAR helicopters.
The Eurocopter EC635 is a multi-purpose light helicopter developed by Eurocopter as a military version of the Eurocopter EC135. It is a twin-engined aircraft and can carry up to 8 people, including the pilot, and a range of military equipment or armaments. The helicopter is marketed for troop transport, medical evacuation, cargo transport, reconnaissance and surveillance and armed combat support missions.
The Airbus Helicopters H225 is a long-range passenger transport helicopter developed by Eurocopter as the next generation of the civilian Super Puma family. It is a twin-engined aircraft and can carry up to 24 passengers along with two crew and a cabin attendant, dependent on customer configuration. The helicopter is marketed for offshore support and VIP passenger transport duties, as well as public service missions.
On July 27, 2007, two AS-350 AStar helicopters from television stations KNXV-TV and KTVK collided in mid-air over Phoenix, Arizona, while covering a police pursuit. On board the two aircraft were four people in total – pilot Craig Smith and photographer Rick Krolak from KNXV-TV, and pilot Scott Bowerbank and photographer Jim Cox from KTVK – all of whom were killed, while no casualties were reported on the ground.
Police in the United Kingdom use a wide range of operational vehicles, including compact cars, powerful estates and armoured police carriers. The main uses are patrol, response, tactical pursuit, and public order policing. Other vehicles used by British police include motorcycles, aircraft, and boats.
The Air Support Division (ASD) is the police aviation division of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD). It is the largest municipal airborne law enforcement organization in the United States and operates from the LAPD Hooper Heliport.
The Kent Air Ambulance was an organisation providing emergency medical services through the provision of a helicopter air ambulance covering the county of Kent in South East England. The helicopter was funded by the Kent Air Ambulance Trust, which was a registered charity, raising money from public and private donations in excess of £4m every year between Kent, Sussex and Surrey. In June 2007, the service extended it areas of operation to Surrey and Sussex requiring an additional helicopter. It now operates as Air Ambulance Kent Surrey Sussex.
Babcock Mission Critical Services Onshore, formerly Bond Air Services , is an operator of air ambulance, police, and offshore windfarm helicopters in the UK. Babcock operates a mixed fleet of light twin-engine helicopters custom designed to perform specific and specialised tasks. It operates from 17 bases around the UK. It has base maintenance facilities in Staverton and Glasgow.
The East Midlands Air Support Unit was a joint consortium established to provide police aviation for Leicestershire Constabulary, Northamptonshire Police and Warwickshire Police. It was formed in April 1994 and operated a Eurocopter EC135 from Sulby, near Welford in Northamptonshire.
The North Midlands Helicopter Support Unit was a joint consortium established in 1998 to provide police aviation for Derbyshire Constabulary and Nottinghamshire Police. It was managed by John Jameson and operated a Eurocopter EC135 from Derbyshire Constabulary's headquarters in Ripley, Derbyshire.
The Air Wing is the police aviation unit of Victoria Police that operates in metropolitan Melbourne and provides a service to the whole of Victoria.
On 29 November 2013, a police helicopter operated by Bond Air Services for Police Scotland crashed into The Clutha, a pub in central Glasgow, killing all three crew on board and seven patrons of the pub. Thirty-one more people in the pub were injured.
