Ibiza's Sant Josep police start a six-drone patrol network run from one control room

The Local Police of Sant Josep de sa Talaia, on Ibiza, have started using an aerial surveillance system of six drones controlled from a single operations centre, Fly News reported. The outlet says it is the first such system in Europe, as other forces use drones only for occasional local surveillance.

The system, developed by Wolf Avionic, is meant to set up aerial patrols and a surveillance network that improves the response to emergencies such as severe storms, forest fires, floods and other natural disasters.

Police chief José Antonio Granados said running the drones from one centre lets the force watch in real time, coordinate its resources on the ground at once and back up officers working in the street.