Dudley Council began a full-scale drone deployment in late January 2026 and announced details of the programme on 3 February 2026 to tackle illegal off‑road motorbikes in Kingswinford, West Midlands, aiming to make local parks safer and quieter for the community.
The drones are fitted with thermal sensors and high‑definition cameras to shadow riders from a distance and help identify addresses where bikes are being stored. Rather than engaging in high‑speed street pursuits, officers can use the footage to trace vehicles to storage locations and then deploy ground teams, working with police, to carry out seizures and issue enforcement notices where appropriate.
The programme focuses on hotspots including Kingswinford’s King George VI Park and wooded areas near Himley, where residents have reported persistent noise and dangerous riding. Local reporting and council briefings have identified corridors around Greenfields Road as one of the areas of concern for untaxed and uninsured bikes.
Local leaders moved to a permanent, council‑funded drone resource after a pilot scheme in late 2025. The initiative is being carried out by Dudley Council with operational support from West Midlands Police’s Drone Unit and neighbourhood teams to identify and find offenders who have previously been difficult to catch.
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