An article by DroneDJ shares:
It’s no secret that UK police have been energetic and innovative adopters of drone technology in public service, law enforcement, and first responder activity, but a recent survey suggests those forces need to do a better job in assuring security of their UAVs and the data they collect.
A poll authored by the government’s Biometrics and Surveillance Camera Commissioner Fraser Sampson found that while drones have become frequent assets in UK police units, management of those craft by coppers raises “concern around data security and accountability.”
The major problems cited: procurement decisions, firmware upgrades, and management of information collected – all of which, Sampson said, frequently lack the awareness and measures required to effectively avert risks of hacking, leakage, or other kinds of piracy.
The study also voiced uneasiness about the absence of a common list of rules covering ethics and data security in drone usage by police across the UK. In addition to establishing that, Sampson also urges for a top-to-bottom hierarchy of command to be created verifying compliance of those regulations – from the state to precinct level – along with a system allowing elected officials and outside observers to monitor law enforcement use of UAV tech.
To address that, Sampson calls for an overarching set of ethical and operational practices to be established and applied from the top level of UK law enforcement officials down to the local drone pilot and management officers.
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Be sure to visit the BWU Technology Partnerships Initiative website to learn more about how our NEOFIX program drives economic growth, promotes policy and infrastructure to improve drone safety and efficiency in various industries, and ensures that drone technology is being used responsibly.