British police will mount what they describe as one of the largest drone operations in the country’s history to bolster security during US President Donald Trump’s state visit from Sept. 17 to Sept. 19.
Thames Valley Police said pilots from its force, together with officers from Hampshire and other forces, will operate dozens of drones over a ring of security around Windsor Castle during the visit, which includes a state banquet in St George’s Hall. The force said the operation would be the largest policing deployment since King Charles’s coronation in 2023 and comparable in scale to the policing for the late Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral.
Airspace above Windsor will be declared a no-fly zone, with exceptions only for police helicopters and the authorised drones, Thames Valley Police said following a demonstration at its Sulhamstead training centre. The force’s airspace bronze commander, Inspector Matthew Wilkinson, said he had 55 drones and 74 trained pilots available and that each drone deployment would need to be justified on privacy grounds.
"This will be a significant policing operation and we now have access to more drones than during Donald Trump’s previous visit in 2019," Wilkinson said. He described the devices as an "eye in the sky" that can provide flexible perspectives during incidents, search areas difficult to access and support officers and search dogs on the ground.
Among the models due to be deployed is the DJI M30T, a device the force said can fly up to 120 metres, remain airborne for about 30 minutes on a single charge and is equipped with thermal and infrared cameras and a high-definition lens capable of reading a vehicle numberplate from roughly 400 metres. Thames Valley Police said some drones in its fleet are valued at up to £20,000.
Police warned that a 1.5-mile exclusion zone will be in place around Windsor Castle and that members of the public who operate drones within that area could face arrest. Operators stressed that civilians wishing to fly drones near the site must comply with the exclusion rules and that officers will have to justify each use of aerial surveillance to address privacy concerns.
The state visit will begin the day after the House of Commons breaks for party conference season, removing the possibility of Mr. Trump addressing parliament. During his previous visit to the UK in 2019, more than 6,300 officers were deployed at an estimated cost of £3.4 million. Large public demonstrations then drew thousands of people; organisers have said protests are expected again, with the Stop Trump Coalition planning a mass demonstration in central London on the first day of the visit and another protest near Windsor Castle.
Thames Valley Police and collaborating forces have been preparing security plans since the visit was announced, officials said. They emphasized that the drone deployments are intended to enhance situational awareness and public safety, while noting that their use will be balanced against legal and privacy obligations.
Officials did not provide a final overall figure for total officers and other resources to be deployed for the visit but said the operation would involve substantial national policing assets. The three-day state visit is part of ongoing diplomatic engagements between the United Kingdom and the United States, with the royal-hosted events at Windsor forming the centrepiece of the programme.