NSW Police has officially launched its nation first drone trial, PolAir-Remote, which aims to boost police resources in Moree.
Police officials, including Commissioner Mal Lanyon APM, were joined by NSW Police Minister Yasmin Catley and Moree Plains Shire Council representatives to discuss the new policing aviation capability last Thursday.
PolAir-Remote – a collaboration between Aviation Command and Technology and Communication Services Command – will see remotely-piloted drones being used to assist operational police in responding to and investigating incidents. The use of drones will allow regional police to utilise aerial assets without the need for an on-site pilot.
Instead, the drones will be remotely piloted from a ‘Remote Operations Centre’ at Bankstown Airport, with real-time video being fed back to operational police.
Ms Catley said expanding the capability of NSW Police ensures that they are doing the best when it comes to safety on the streets.
“This is very exciting within the New South Wales Police Force. And in fact, across Australia, it will be watched by all law enforcement officers. Certainly across Australia, but probably more broadly, in the region as well, in the Asia Pacific region.”
Moree is the first location in which the drones have been installed and trialled to support frontline police in preventing, disrupting and responding to criminal activity.
Since the installation on the rooftop of the Moree Police Station on Thursday, January 8, 2026, the two drones have been activated to coordinate successful responses and arrests for assaults, break and enters, vehicle recoveries and have assisted during an Operation Soteria surge.
The drones will also assist police in providing situational awareness during public safety incidents and other emergencies, including search and rescue operations and missing people searches.
The drones are housed in a self-contained box where they launch, land and recharge.
The trial in Moree will run for six months, with the technology set to expand to other locations in the future.
Ms Catley said the drones have the capacity unlike the other air-wing capabilities (planes and helicopters).
“They are obviously a lot more agile. They launch from the roof here in response to an emergency call, and they are able to feed back that live information, both to the central monitoring, at our aviation wing in Bankstown, and also here to our officers on the ground,” she said.
“The remote application here is what is so unique. Being able to remotely control these devices is a real game changer. It will mean that at any time, we will be able to have a response to crime.
“I think that this is something that we, as a government, will be looking at to roll out much further, and particularly looking in regional New South Wales.”
Ms Catley, who was also joined by Moree Plains Shire mayor Sussanah Pearse for the occasion, thanked council for being support of the initiative.
“I want to assure people that this is actually about keeping the community safe and tackling crime,”she said.
“It has nothing to do with surveillance. This is about making sure that we have those fast responses, just like people want of our NSW Police.”
Comm Lanyon told the media gathering in Moree that the town was one of the first places he visited after being appointed to the top position in NSW Police.
“The reason for that is because I made regional crime and youth crime a priority, because of the disproportionate impact it has on regional communities,” Comm Lanyon said.
“Today’s announcement is saying that we are here for you. We are here to support our local police. We are here to support the
community.
“This is demonstrating that the NSW Police Force will bring capacity, but also capability out into regional areas to support communities. We want communities to feel safe. We have undergone extensive consultation before we’ve launched this trial. We’ve spoken to many community groups. We’ve certainly spoken to the mayor, to the business chamber, to understand what may be of concern.
“My commitment, the commitment of the NSW Police Force, is that we want to keep the community of Moree safe.
“We want to keep all regional communities safe. By running this trial, we can determine whether to scale up this program.”
Examples of situations the drones have assisted police in include providing aerial watch of a property believed to be inhabited by a wanted violent offender. The drone identified the individual and tracked him as he fled, helping police to establish a safe perimeter in which they could arrest the offender who was later charged.
POLAIR 800 was also used to search and identify a stolen vehicle hidden in bushes along the Mehi River. The vehicle had been used in aggravated break and enters and its recovery prevented access to the vehicle to commit further offences.
The drone capability was used to identify individuals loitering in a driveway after reports of an aggravated break and enter. The clothing worn by these people was identical to that of the reported offenders and crucial evidence to effect an arrest.
Ms Catley said the trial is already proving to be a game changer for policing in Moree.
“This is an Australian policing first that puts NSW ahead of the pack. We are backing our police with the resources and capability they need to keep communities safe,” she said.
“Our officers face complex, fast-moving situations every day. This investment helps make their work smarter – freeing them up to protect the community where it matters most.
“We know there is more to do to rebuild trust after the shocking incidents that left this community shaken. The NSW government and the NSW Police Force are working relentlessly to improve community safety and strengthen confidence – we won’t stop.”
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