Information about the Councils use of AI CCTV and drones
Received 12 August 2026
Please confirm whether the council currently operates, or has operated during the last 12 months, any CCTV or video surveillance systems which incorporate artificial intelligence.
If yes, please provide:
- The supplier/vendor and product name of each system.
- A list of the AI-enabled or automated capabilities available within each system.
- Which of those capabilities are currently enabled and operational.
- Drone usage
Please confirm whether the council has owned, leased, operated, or contracted the use of any drones or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) during the last 12 months for enforcement, regulatory, compliance, investigative, community safety, anti-social behaviour, environmental crime, planning enforcement, parking enforcement, or similar monitoring or evidential purposes.
If yes, please provide:
- The number of drones operated by, or on behalf of, the council.
- The model name(s) and supplier(s).
- The purpose(s) for which the drones are used.
- Whether any drones are allocated to specific functions or teams.
- Whether the drones incorporate AI, automated analytics, object detection, facial recognition, thermal imaging or similar image-analysis capabilities.
- Which of those capabilities are technically available and which are currently enabled.
- A brief description of how drone deployments are authorised and conducted.
- Whether drones are deployed routinely for patrols, or only in response to specific incidents, reports, investigations, inspections, or other identified needs.
- Whether deployment logs are maintained and, if so, the categories of information routinely recorded within those logs.
- Whether drone imagery, footage, or other data may be shared with police forces and, if so, under what circumstances.
- Whether any drones are operated by contractors or other organisations on behalf of or in partnership with the council and, if so, the name of the organisation(s).
Responded 12 August 2026
East Cambridgeshire District Council is responsible for CCTV on Council owned and managed buildings and car parks only.
East Cambridgeshire District Council does not use CCTV or video surveillance systems which incorporate artificial intelligence.
East Cambridgeshire District Council has not owned, leased, operated, or contracted the use of any drones or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) during the last 12 months.