ROBOTIC aeroplanes could be patrolling Kent skies in search of smugglers and illegal immigrants within the next five years.

Unmanned aircraft used for military reconnaissance purposes in Afghanistan are being adapted for use in British airspace to assist police and border controls monitoring illegal activities in south east England.

The technology, which has taken British defence and aerospace company BAE Systems five years to develop, can be used at any UK border but BAE said it would be "ideal" for naval protection and coastal surveillance in Kent.

Director of Civil Autonomous Systems at BAE Systems Richard Williams said: "From 2012 fully autonomous unmanned air systems will be routinely used by border agencies, the police and other government bodies."

The 'spy drones' take off and land with a click of a mouse button, fly automatically and take high-res images and video footage of suspicious activities, such as the movement of unknown boats in the Channel, and beam them back to ground control rooms for use by immigration officers and the police.

The project, entitled the South Coast Partnership, will see BAE Systems work with partners, including Kent Police, Essex Police and the Home Office.

A spokesman for BAE Systems added: "It is designed to compliment rather than replace. It is just a tool to enable people to do their jobs better."

He added: "The planes not only take photographs, but they sort though hundreds of images and discard the redundant ones - something humans find very boring and that can lead to things being missed."

The Border and Immigration Agency, part of the Home Office, said the use of autonomous unmanned air systems in the county was still very much at the planning stages.

A spokesman said: "The agency continues to work closely with its partners, including the Kent and Essex Police, to identify effective methods to combat the threats that this country faces.

"We are exploring all options but at this stage have not made any commitment to using unmanned aircraft along the South Coast."

Kent Police declined to comment on the plans at this stage.