The police force on Thursday received a gift in the form a surveillance drone which it said it would put to use immediately.

Equipped with state-of-the-art thermal cameras, the drone was handed over by the Blue Heart Foundation, a non-profit organisation.

The handover ceremony took place at police headquarters, with police chief Themistos Arnaoutis accepting the gift on behalf of the force.

He said the drone would be used for various police operations, including tracking missing persons, monitoring public events such as visits to Cyprus by foreign officials.

Arnaoutis said the police uses drones according to air traffic regulations and in a manner that does not violate privacy.