Fire brigade's 'eye in the sky'

A pioneering unmanned aircraft has been unveiled as the latest addition to a fire brigade's resources.

The Incident Support Imaging System (ISIS) is a miniature remote-controlled helicopter fitted with video and stills cameras, which can hover above fire incidents and provide crews with live images.

West Midlands Fire Service is the first in the country to use the new aerial technology, and the brigade hopes the "eye in the sky" view will provide crews with vital information on how to tackle a blaze.

Deputy chief fire officer Vij Randeniya said: "This is fantastic new technology that will provide real benefits when we are tackling a range of emergency situations.

"Being able to look down on the scene will allow us to get a full picture of the incident and the surrounding environment, which will aid incident commanders to make vital, potentially life-saving decisions."

The four-rotor craft, which weighs just 900g (2lb), can take off and land vertically, and can be fitted with daylight or low-light digital camera.

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