Network Rail to launch army of drones to target trespassers
Trespassers on Britain's railways are to be pursued by a squadron of drones under plans being drawn up by Network Rail.
The track operator is planning to use the unmanned craft to cruise long stretches of track scanning for vandals, graffiti artists and thieves intent on stripping signalling cables and wires.
There were more than 18,500 reported instances of trespass on the UK railway last year, close to one for each of the network's 20,000 miles of track. The incidents caused 1.5m minutes of delays last year and cost more than £70m in compensation and internal charges.
Dominic Mottram, Network Rail's head of drone strategy, said the technology will be 'revolutionary' in tackling the problem.
While Network Rail already has around 200 drones, comprising one of Europe's biggest fleets, they must currently remain within visual range of the operator, limiting flights to about a third of a mile. That means they are of little use in locating and filming miscreants.
However, under the new plans, which are expected to win Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) approval in the coming months, drones will be able to travel beyond the view of operators, allowing them to travel far from base to scan for trouble.
Mr Mottram said: 'We're looking at being able to fly tens of miles from base, which is going to make a huge difference and send out a message that people must stay off the railway or they will be caught. It's the equivalent of having bobbies on the beat.'
The unmanned craft will be able to quickly locate and follow offenders while British Transport Police or Network Rail's own mobile crews head to the scene. They will also provide vital video evidence that will aid prosecutions.
The drones will be capable of arriving on the scene within two minutes of a reported incident in an urban area, compared with minimum response times of about 10 minutes for the police and 20 minutes for Network Rail's own staff.
Mr Mottram said drones will be just as important in confirming that offenders have left the scene following reports of people on the track, allowing lines to reopen more quickly.
Future plans could also see drones take over monitoring for collapsed trees, lineside fires and animals on the line.
Network Rail is working with two drone specialists to secure so-called beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) capabilities.
Dronecloud is conducting a trial in Birmingham providing aerial coverage of the railway within 6 miles of the city centre, together with another in rural south Wales.
Meanwhile, Drone Major is testing its system in Wolverhampton and on the Severn Valley Railway.
Both companies are deploying a combination of ground-based sensors and satellite positioning to control and communicate with the craft. Dronecloud said flying distances would be increased incrementally at a pace dictated by the CAA.
Mr Mottram said the drones will be able transmit real-time video and body heat-detecting infrared feeds to operators that could potentially be used in prosecutions.
The craft also have the potential to undertake track-inspection tasks, reducing the risk of rail workers being struck by a passing train and trimming Network Rail's £2bn annual monitoring bill.
Alongside the drones, Network Rail plans keep using two helicopters to scan hundreds of miles of remote lines in the Scottish Highlands and locate trespassers in London, where the track operator has special permission to operate across the city.
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