Two police officers, a retired officer and two pilots have appeared in court charged in relation to misusing the camera on a police helicopter to look at people who were naked or engaged in sex acts.

The five men were arrested as part of a South Yorkshire police investigation into reports the force helicopter had been used for inappropriate filming.

Serving officers Matthew Lucas, 41, and Lee Walls, 46, appeared at Sheffield magistrates court on Tuesday along with former South Yorkshire officer Adrian Pogmore, 50.

Alongside them in the dock were Matthew Loosemore, 44, who was a South Yorkshire police pilot before transferring to the National Police Air Service in 2013, and Malcolm Reeves, 63, who was a pilot with South Yorkshire police before retiring in 2013.

All five have been charged with misconduct in public office. The charges relate to four alleged incidents, one on 23 August 2007, two on 28 July 2008, and the fourth on 22 July 2012.

Pogmore, of Whiston in Rotherham, faces four charges. One alleges misconduct, “namely to observe and record a naked person without her knowledge and consent”. Another alleges misconduct amounting to “misusing police resources for purposes that were not connected to your employment, namely to observe and record persons performing sexual acts”.

The other four men face similar charges of misconduct. Reeves, of Knaresborough in North Yorkshire, faces two counts; Walls, of Aston in Sheffield, faces one count; Loosemore, of Auckley in Doncaster, faces one count; and Lucas, of Chapeltown in Sheffield, faces three counts.

South Yorkshire police have confirmed that Lucas and Walls are serving officers – Lucas is based in Sheffield and Walls works within operational support services – but have been suspended from duty.

The district judge, Naomi Redhouse, said the case would be transferred to the crown court. She granted the defendants unconditional bail and said they would appear at Sheffield crown court on 7 June.