By Adam Morris
The country’s police helicopter increased its time in the air significantly last year as it helped track down more missing people and criminal suspects.
New figures obtained by 1919 show the aircraft spent a total of 793 hours in the skies above Scotland, a 47 per cent increase from 2023.
The rise in use comes as missing and vulnerable person reports soared, while it also located more suspects and engaged in more vehicle pursuits.
In 2025, the helicopter was used on 193 occasions to trace missing people, and 154 times due to “concern for a person”.
It also assisted officers on the ground to hunt suspects in 111 instances, and engaged in 92 car chases.
“It sounds as if good use is being made of the machine,” said aviation expert David Learmount.
“Helicopters are highly effective for the very purposes this one is used for: search, or search and rescue, criminal surveillance, and event surveillance where trouble is potentially on the cards.
“Not only is it good for ‘eye in the sky’ surveillance, it can also carry specialist manpower for intervention purposes.”
Increasing tension around football matches has also placed more demands on the air unit.
There were no callouts in 2023 and only two in 2024 for matches.
David Kennedy, Scottish Police Federation
However, as police became more concerned about disorder and sporting rivalries – particularly between Rangers and Celtic – the helicopter was called to assist on eight occasions throughout 2025.
Firearms incidents also rose, from 39 to 59 across the two-year period, a possible reflection of intensifying gang wars.
The figures were obtained from Police Scotland using freedom of information legislation.
David Kennedy, general secretary of the Scottish Police Federation, welcomed the increase in flying hours.
“The helicopter is a great asset to the force and should be used as much as possible,” he said. “From a police officer point of view, the more time it is in the air, the better.
“For tracking down suspects and vehicles, having the helicopter in the air makes it so much more difficult for people to escape.”
Historically a Strathclyde legacy force asset, the distinctive black and yellow helicopter – based on the banks of the Clyde – spends most of its time in the west.
Last year the Greater Glasgow division needed it most, calling on its support for 209 incidents. That was followed by Lanarkshire (157), Ayrshire (113) and Renfrewshire (56).
It only appears in Edinburgh around once a week, and is seldom seen in Aberdeen, Dundee and the Highlands.
The rising numbers of missing person and ‘concern for a person’ reports – together amounting to one incident every day – reflects force warnings on the topic.
Chief Constable Jo Farrell previously said the pressure being placed on officers by people who should be supported by other agencies was unsustainable.
“Police Scotland covers the largest and most diverse geographical area in the UK, and this unique landscape makes the helicopter a key national asset which supports local policing and communities,” said Chief Inspector Andy Scott.
“By using the helicopter and drones, our air support unit can help officers on the ground locate missing people, save lives, pursue suspects, and support crowd safety at events.”