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Microwave downlink ('heli-tele')

Microwave down-link

The aircraft are fitted with a microwave downlink transmitter, commonly referred to as 'heli-tele'.

The equipment allows the helicopter crew to transmit 'live' pictures of incidents directly to police control rooms, mobile incident command units and portable receivers. This allows those in charge to make command decisions based on real time information which is particularly useful at major incidents and special events as well as spontaneous incidents such as pursuits and firearms deployments.

This not only allows senior police commanders to make informed decisions but sometimes those of the other emergency services. For example, senior fire officers can view the live thermal image pictures transmitted from the helicopter at major fires and deploy their resources most effectively by determining where the fire is at its most intense.