British police have been given the green light to use unmanned military-style drones.
But civil liberties groups have called for tighter regulation amid fears the skies could become littered with flying cameras.
Police minister Damian Green said the aircraft, which carry CCTV cameras, could be used in appropriate circumstances.
Senior police officers want to extend the use of unmanned aerial vehicles, which are seen as a cheaper alternative to manned helicopters.
Currently the only drones approved for use are small radio-controlled devices which can only go up to 400ft in the air and up to 1,600ft away from the on-ground pilot.