New drones, choppers join Qld police fleet

State-of-the-art helicopters and hi-tech drones are being added to Queensland Police’s ‘eyes in the sky’ in a bid to crack down on youth crime.

Hi-tech drones could be used by police to help tackle youth crime in the state’s north while new state-of-the-art helicopters will join the south east’s “eyes in the sky”.

Three new Bell 429 helicopters will join the POLAIR fleet in 2024 to patrol the state’s south – replacing two existing choppers. But the cost of the decade-long contract for the choppers is unknown with a police spokesman saying the tender was commercial in confidence.

It can also be revealed almost $1 million will be invested in the “highest-standard” drones for police to use during a 12-month trial in Townsville and Cairns.

Police will determine what the devices are used for, which could include tackling youth crime that’s impacted the regions for years.

New helicopters will be added to the Polair fleet. Picture: Richard Walker

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the new helicopters and drones represented a significant capability increase for police while further protecting the community.

“The community will be able to feel safer knowing police have these new, state-of-the art resources,” she said.

“It also adds a valuable additional level of security for the Olympic and Paralympic Games.”

The new choppers will boast improved safety, technology, camera and night vision capabilities.

Meanwhile the new drones will offer enhanced intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities and include thermal imaging cameras for locating lost people and technologies for tracking vehicles.

Police Minister Mark Ryan said the choppers were part of a new long-term contract with Surf Life Saving Queensland (SLSQ) to operate vital POLAIR aerial capabilities until 2034.

“The new arrangement, which begins at the conclusion of the current contract with SLSQ in

2024, means long-term security for the operation of the helicopters that play a critical role

in supporting the efforts of police on the ground to keep the community safe,” he said.

“The new arrangements will deliver better aerial capability, greater efficiencies, and long-

term security to the operations of POLAIR.

Hi-tech drones will be brought in to help tackle youth crime in Queensland’s north. Picture: Shae Beplate.

“This is a great result for Queensland.”

POLAIR co-founder and Queensland Police Union president Ian Leavers welcomed the investment.

“From POLAIR’s inception, establishment and humble beginnings over a decade ago,

everyone in the community has now been able to share in my vision and see for themselves

what a valuable addition it has been to police operations, as I always knew it would be,” he said.

The new arrangement means Queensland will also house Australia’s first Bell 429 training simulator which will initially be used exclusively by police POLAIR pilots.