GWENT Police have announced that they will start using drones.

They have been granted permissions from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to use unmanned aircraft at live police incidents.

The force say the drones will help them carry out a wide range of tasks, including assisting with searches for missing people, policing large scale events, tackling anti-social behaviour and rural crime.

They will also be used to ensure the safety of police officers working on the ground.

In a statement Gwent Police said the drones would be used on selected operational incidents in order to test the aircraft's ability and suitability prior to being tasked.”

Anyone who wants to fly a drone for aerial work needs permission from the CAA. Their regulations state that drone operators must pass a national CAA assessment course before they can use them. There are currently fourteen trained pilots within Gwent Police.

Drones, or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are currently used in police work by forces across the UK.

South Wales Police having been using drones in their police work since July 2016. One area where they have successfully used drones is to identify anti-social behaviour by off-road bike users.