Drones snoop on sunbathers as complaints soar

DRONE complaints to West Midlands Police have rocketed by an astonishing 4,000 per cent in just two years, an investigation has revealed.

The flying gadgets were at the centre of 121 calls to police last year – up from just three in 2014, and 30 in 2015 – as they have become widely available.

And across Britain, thousands of nuisance episodes, and worse, have been registered by forces. They include: Camera drones snooping on bikini-clad sunbathers; Burglars checking out household security measures; Smuggling drugs and mobile phones into prisons; Nuisance use in neighbour disputes; Spying on celebrities other public figures; Near-misses with which could prove fatal. Nationwide in 2016, forces recorded 3,456 incidents – equivalent to almost ten every day. And the true total is likely to be even greater because full tit-fot-tat and aircraft, data was not available forces in the UK.

The findings, based on Freedom of Information requests, coincide with a jump in the popularity of the remote-controlled devices. Available for as little as £30 and often boasting built-in cameras, sales have soared in recent years.

Last year, Birmingham Prison said it was reviewing its defences against drones after it emerged that the flying devices were being used to smuggle drugs into the jail. There have also for all been a number of near-misses involving aircraft in the region.

Professor David H Dunn, of Birmingham University, said residents faced a “major challenge” in maintaining their privacy at home because of the proliferation of drones.

“Previously you had a hedge, you had a wall and you could do whatever you wanted in your garden without people disturbing you,” he said.

“That has changed because of drones. It’s true for celebrities – but then it’s true for everyone.”