British Transport Police (BTP) has completed the first phase of its Drone in a Box (DIAB) project with seven operational sites now live. Delivered through BTP’s Drones Development Programme, which integrates beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) drone technology into the force’s wider operational capabilities, the DIAB project focuses on trespass and emergency incident response.
Drones are launched and piloted remotely from a London-based control room, providing officers and Network Rail staff on the ground with live aerial intelligence. BTP’s BVLOS drones are operated under a safety management system designed to ensure operations are safe for the aviation community as well as those on the ground. BTP is working with the UK Civil Aviation Authority as it further develops its BVLOS capabilities. BTP was the first police force in the UK to obtain legal advice and use BVLOS routinely and regularly in support of policing, rather than just for emergencies.
The first BTP DIAB site was established in Leeds in April 2025. Four sites have since been introduced across south London, as well as in Leicester and Manchester. BTP states that these locations are known trespass hotspots.
Between 1 April and 25 July, BTP’s DIAB conducted 550 flights. During that period, drones were the first resource on scene in 68 percent of operational incidents, with an average response time of just three minutes and 28 seconds.
The police force is planning further investment in drone operations and expects to move to a new flight operations room in London, with further sites scheduled to open in the coming months.
