British gang members jailed after using drones to assist with grow op robberies

They were utilizing the aerial devices for heat seeking and then swooping in to burglarize illicit cultivators

Rowan Dunne

Published

5 hours ago

A group of UK criminals have been tossed in jail after using drone technology to detect heat emanating from illicit cultivations and subsequently steal their contents through coordinated theft. The sentences they were just handed range between two and five years.

The robbers were caught red-handed during one of their burglaries in May, 2024 as they attempted to snatch and grab 260 pot plants.

“They made use of aerial drone footage to identify cannabis grows before groups were deployed to travel to the location, break-in and steal the plants,” said the Nottinghamshire Police in a news release on Jul. 18.

Through analyzing the phones of those arrested last year, the authorities determined that the robbery was part of a larger-scale coordinated effort to steal cannabis from multiple locations throughout Britain. Footage from the drones was sent to a crew in London who then mobilized to ransack several illegal growing operations.

“Analysis of seized mobile phones revealed the group were making use of ‘scouts’ who searched for possible cannabis grows using drones with heat seeking cameras,” the local authorities specified.

Thermal drones have historically been very expensive, but recent advancements have made obtaining them more economically feasible for low-grade crooks like these.

Mid-grade models like the Autel Robotics EVO II Dual 640T or DJI Mavic 3 Thermal can now be purchased for US$3,000 to US$6,000 while an entry level model like the Parrot ANAFI Thermal only costs about US$2,000.

Although information about the type they used is unavailable, the burglars clearly considered their investment to be worthwhile.

Increased efficiency in infrared sensor manufacturing, particularly in China, is a key factor that has made them much more affordable than they were during the early drone days at the dawn of the 21st century.

In 2005, the average thermal drone cost about US$20,000, and in the mid 2010s, the minimum someone would be required to spend on one would be approximately US$7,500.