Drones, the new Swiss army knives of the border police
La Presse de la Manche, January 11, 2025 (excerpt)
For the past year, drones have been used at the port of Cherbourg-en-Cotentin to monitor the restricted zone. This high-tech equipment is now being used for other missions.
For just over a year, the Prefect of the Manche department has authorized the use of drones to monitor the border zone of the port of Cherbourg-en-Cotentin, the restricted access zone (ZAR) and its immediate surroundings. This is where migrants are accustomed to moving around. The drones can be adjusted to suit the weather conditions, providing high-quality images and precise positioning.
“They can fly at a maximum altitude of 120 meters, in complete silence. This means they can access places that were previously inaccessible by car, such as the rock face near the Mielles area, which is a common hiding place for migrants”, explains Chief Brigadier Anthony, a remote pilot based in Cherbourg. The thermal cameras fitted to their drones also help them to discover where migrants are hiding, particularly at night. Continue reading “Strasbourg/Cherbourg, France: Two examples of the widespread use of police drones”