The pandemic lockdown was not a good time for burglars, who rely on people being out to make a living. But now, with near-normal life returned, the opportunistic thief may soon find that, having wrenched open the back door, they are greeted by a whirring drone shining a torchlight and filming their faces. 

Just a few years ago, it was only the wealthy and overly cautious who had security cameras on their property. Today, one in five UK households has a video doorbell to monitor visitors to their home. And with the advent of artificial intelligence (AI) and drones, home security devices are about to rise to new heights. 

Amazon’s home camera pioneer Ring, based in California, has started consumer trials in the US for its latest product, the ‘Always at Home’ autonomous indoor drone. Expected to be on the market in the very near future, the device will make it possible to check through your mobile device if you have left the window open or the iron on –...