Craig Naylor, His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Constabulary in Scotland, told the Scottish government that drones and facial recognition could help reduce threats from serious offenders and organised crime.

Police forces in England already use live facial recognition (LFR), but Police Scotland does not currently deploy the technology.

Mr Naylor’s comments follow several incidents of disorder at Scottish football matches last season, including pitch invasions during Old Firm fixtures and Celtic’s title-deciding match against Hearts.

He said the challenge for public sector leaders was “not whether to adopt these technologies, but how quickly they can do so safely, ethically and effectively”.

Mr Naylor described football violence and associated disorder as “a situation that cannot continue to be tolerated”, warning that increased policing would place additional pressure on resources and costs.

He said measures including stricter banning orders, limits on attendance and the use of facial recognition to identify banned individuals should be considered.

Police Scotland and the Scottish Police Authority consulted the public and stakeholders last year on the potential use of LFR and are continuing to develop policies and procedures.

A total of 47 arrests have been made in connection with the last Old Firm match of last season and Celtic’s game against Hearts.

Two officers were injured in Glasgow city centre after Celtic won 3-1 to secure the league title.

Assistant chief constable Tim Mairs said new technologies could offer “transformative opportunities for modern policing” while stressing the importance of appropriate governance and safeguards.