Home / Disasters and Accidents / Police Drone Crashes, Injuring Child in First UK Incident
Police Drone Crashes, Injuring Child in First UK Incident
10 Jan
Summary
- A police drone seriously injured a child's hand after hitting an overhead cable.
- This marks the first IOPC investigation into a civilian injured by a police drone.
- A special inspector received a misconduct notice amid the ongoing investigation.
A serious incident occurred on August 2, 2025, when a police drone deployed by Kent Police struck an overhead cable and fell, injuring a child.
The drone, weighing 4kg, was rapidly deployed to search for an assault suspect on the Isle of Sheppey. The pilot failed to notice the cable hazard, leading to the crash and a significant hand injury to the child, who received treatment at a London hospital.
This event is notable as the first time the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is investigating a UK civilian injured by a police drone. As part of the ongoing inquiry, a special inspector has been served with a misconduct notice, though disciplinary proceedings have not yet been confirmed.
