Drones could track criminals and deliver medical supplies by 2030
By the end of this decade, drones could hunt criminals and deliver medical supplies.
According to government plans, drone couriers could be a permanent fixture in two years.
Ministers also expect driverless flying taxis to be able to charge their first fares by 2030.
Drones are already being used by West Midlands Police to tackle violent crime and anti-social behaviour.
Last year, a drone helped police identify three suspects at a speed and distance that would have exceeded officers on the ground.
Meanwhile, victims of cardiac arrest must be saved by defibrillators dropped next to them by drones.
The Scottish Ambulance Service will run simulations in Edinburgh after a similar scheme in Sweden was a success and saved his first life in 2021.
The Department for Transport has unveiled its plan for how regulations and infrastructure will support the new technology.
The Future of Flight Action Plan will change existing visual line of sight rules for drone pilots and convert smaller airports into launch and landing sites.
Minister for Aviation and Technology Anthony Browne said: “We are ensuring Britain is at the forefront of this shift in transport, improving lives and boosting the economy.”
The Civil Aviation Authority said aviation may be “on the cusp of the greatest revolution since the jet engine”.
Drone technology could boost the economy by £45 billion by 2030.