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Chris Rainford, owner and chief pilot for XES Drones, left the Fire Service in 2020 after completing 34 years service with both Greater Manchester and Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service. ‘XES’ stands for eX Emergency Services, and Chris is keen to highlight his background experience since he started flying back in 2010, becoming one of the main instigators of drone technology throughout the UK in the Emergency Service theatre of operations.

During the last 10 years, Chris was responsible for establishing several 24/7 drone teams for the Fire Service and the Police, as well as flying at over 1000 separate incidents across the UK. He has worked with the EU, MOD, HMP, Home Office and a large number of Fire and Police services from all over the country, becoming a national drone instructor in 2017 until leaving at the end of 2020. Chris was also instrumental in working internationally in Canada, USA, Denmark, Germany and France, where he helped standardise drone tactics for use within the Emergency Services. Notably, his national guidance on the use of drones in Missing Person Ops, is still used today throughout the world.

The training course he delivered to Emergency Service drone teams throughout the country was produced and written solely by Chris and helped hundreds of Police and Fire pilots achieve a high degree of competency in the sector. Chris continues to consult with various forces and has also moved into the commercial sector as a flight assessment instructor with national training giants, UAVHUB. He has transferred his immense drone experience over to the private sector, hoping his ‘safety, safety, safety’ mantra will strike a chord with folk looking for the ‘Quick, Reliable and Safe’ drone solution.

Chris established XES Drones in 2021, and found there was a huge appetite for commercial drone work in the UK, especially a company that offered CAA authorisation, massive public liability insurance and a super safe operational ethos encompassed with multiple risk assessments.

On a personal basis, Chris is married with 2 grown up children and resides in leafy Chorley. Recreational activities include all sport but mostly triathlon, a sport in which he has completed over 300 races including 15 separate Ironman events in a career spanning over 25 years. He documented these achievements in his published anecdotal novel, ‘Fireman to Ironman’ which raised pots of money for Cancer Research and raised a smile for every reader.

XES Pilots

Chris flies alongside both ex and serving Emergency Service pilots when working for XES Drones, but has kept their identities private for security purposes. They are all handpicked and must share the same safety ethos as Chris, before being allowed to fly for commercial clients. He also insists they be able to run a 10k, swim a mile and cycle a hilly 50 miles, although this has led to a very small band of pilots indeed!!!!