March of Police Drones Grows Across the Globe

From traffic control to crime scene investigation, police agencies around the world are bolstering deployment of public-security drones.

China

In China’s Jiangsu Province, police use quadcopters (see screenshot) to enforce traffic violations as well as to maintain traffic flow during busy national celebrations such as May Day. The drones target vehicles that illegally drive in emergency lanes and shift lanes erratically. Once a car is identified, police post a photo of the violator’s vehicle on roadside “traffic guidance screens” as a warning.

The program is already proving successful. According to CRIENGLISH.com, provincial police logged 603 traffic violations (misuse of emergency lanes) within a 13-hour period.

South Korea

The South Korean National Police Agency will use a squadron of drones to preserve crime scenes and find missing people under an agreement with Korea Land and Geospatial Informatix Corporation(LX).

The UAVs will be equipped with 3D scanners and police will be able to call on LX’s 3,000 engineers to assist in the field and provide training.

The police deployment is another example of Korea’s drive to embrace drone tech across the board and become an industry player. In March, South Korean government officials pledged ongoing support to its burgeoning, domestic drone industry in the hopes of capturing a share of the anticipated $150 billion drone market over the next decade. President Geun-hye reviewed the latest drone technology while visiting the Korea Aerospace Research Institute.

Peru

Like Korea, Peru’s National Police force has unleashed drones to enhance security during a global economic summit this past month.

Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) met in the southern Arequipa region May 5-15 without incident, possibly due to the presence of the drones.

APEC is a global economic conference with 21 members, referred to as “Member Economies”, which account for approximately 41 percent of the world’s population, 54 percent of the world’s total GDP and 44 percent of the world’s trade.