Drones could be an 'eye in the sky' for defence purposes
WE SEE comments more and more frequently concerning drones, either the small 'hobby' drones such as the one recently shot down in Alderney, to the large military drones currently in use in Syria and Iraq. The members of the Guernsey Thinktank have been investigating drones for some months now and feel these really are the future when it comes to protecting both our land borders and our airspace. Drones can be operated from anywhere in the world by a person sitting in front of a computer screen using a joystick to control the drone. It can search the seas for hours on end, filming and sending back the images as it goes.
It could easily take the place of our Channel Air Search airplane much more economically and without any risk to life or limb. It could relay the information of the whereabouts of a casualty directly to the lifeboat and all from a small room somewhere.
Alderney would be the ideal place to keep drones as it has the runway capacity, the hangerage and, due to its locality, it sits in the perfect place to keep an eye on the comings and goings of both ships and people, not only in the Bailiwick but France and the UK as well.
There is little doubt that drones are very much the future and Guernsey should be up there and leading the way. Currently the British military drones are operated from and kept at RNAS Culdrose but could, in my opinion, be in a far better and more secure position in Alderney. Needless to say the staff needed to maintain the drones in Alderney and the money they would bring into the island would be an additional and very welcome bonus.
Drones can do so many things. They can spot ships at sea causing pollution by flushing out their tanks illegally, they can spot illegal fishing as well as illegal immigrants. I could go on but I suspect readers will get the picture and could add many more uses to the list.
The Guernsey Thinktank are doing what we can to move this forward but a little help from our States would be very welcome.
GERRY TATTERSALL,
Chairman,
Guernsey Thinktank.
