British Police Will Be Allowed to Capture Drones

With the advent of unmanned aerial vehicles, the concept of “Personal Life” has become a thing of the past. Any owner of a quadcopter equipped with a mounted camera can intrude into the private life of even the Queen of England. Perhaps, this very assumption prompted the introduction of stricter regulations on drone purchases in the UK. As is known, in a developed European country, acquiring UAVs requires mandatory registration and management training.

However, this proved insufficient, as drone owners are no longer just intruding into the personal lives of the English. Users are interested in the secrets of Buckingham Palace and government secrets. That is why a new bill has been introduced in the country’s parliament, regulating police actions regarding unmanned aerial vehicles.

To be frank, the law simply expands the powers of the police and allows them to shoot down or take control of drones at their discretion. The bill provides for partial or full confiscation of UAVs, which is described in the explanatory note as evidence collection for an existing violation.

As practice shows, England is not the pioneer of such drone laws. The USA has long had laws for destroying unmanned aircraft over prisons, administrative buildings, and military facilities. Confiscation of the wreckage of shot-down devices increases the evidentiary base in court when pressing charges or considering complaints from owners.

It is planned that the law will be adopted in England by early 2018.