A new trial will bring drones out on the water to speed up emergency services.

The 12 month trial is expected to give HM Coastguard rescue teams "more eyes in the sky" so they can carry out rescue operations around the Essex coastline.

Coastguard teams from South Woodham Ferrers, Walton, Clacton, Mersea Island, Southend and Canvey are all set to take part in the trial which will be put together by Essex Police, Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) and the RNLI.

Phil Hanson, from MCA was amazed at the new pilot, but they will not completely usher in a new age.

He said: "Thanks to the Essex Police Drone Unit, we are able to trial this innovative technology to help rescuers on the front line with more accurate aerial vision, conduct searches in hard to reach or hazardous areas, assist with night time thermal imagery searches and relaying messages from rescuers to casualties.

"This will allow rescuers to make more informed decisions and ultimately help make the coast safer – particularly as the busy season is now almost upon us.

"One thing, we need to stress is that the drones will not replace our coastguard helicopters, coastguard rescue teams, RNLI or independent lifeboats.

"However, it is entirely possible that they could be an additional tool to use in search and rescue and enhance our existing capabilities."

The teams taking part in the trial will be supported throughout the next year by inshore and all-weather lifeboats, as well as a hovercraft.

The support teams will be placed in six RNLI lifeboat stations along Essex' coastline.

Once the year is over, the importance and impact of the drones on the teams' effectiveness will be assessed and a decision will be made on how much help it will be in future search and rescue missions.

Will Roberts from the RNLI expressed the huge importance of the new trial in improving outcomes for the teams.

He added: "When lives are at risk, the speed at which our crews can locate and reach a casualty is vital.

"Being able to see the impact that drones can have in helping our lifeboat crews search and then reach casualties through this pilot will be extremely useful.

"As well as helping our lifesavers to search and locate casualties, working with Essex Police’s Drone Unit will also allow potentially dangerous scenes to be risk assessed before our volunteer lifeboat crews are deployed to the scene."