Tag Archives: surveillance

Tijuana authorities plan to buy quadcopters from 3D Robotics to help in city surveillance tasks

According to a story published on UT San Diego, authorities in Tijuana, Mexico, are planning to buy several drones/multirotors from 3D Robotics  to “monitor traffic, evaluate accident scenes, detect landslides and control wildfires”.

The IRIS quadcopter from 3D Robotics
The IRIS quadcopter from 3D Robotics

“The main idea is that they help with surveillance of the city,” Major Jorge Astiazarán said in an interview. “This won’t just be used for public safety, but to see how the city is growing, discover clandestine dumps … monitor any land movement in a remote area that has gone undetected.”

The Y8 quadcopter from 3D Robotics, that comes with 8 motors, 2 on each arm
The Y8 quadcopter from 3D Robotics, that comes with 8 motors, 2 on each arm

Continue reading Tijuana authorities plan to buy quadcopters from 3D Robotics to help in city surveillance tasks

British Army and the Black Hornet PD-100 UAV

We recently made a post on the Black Hornet military drone.

The Black Hornet mini UAV
The Black Hornet mini UAV

It is a mini helicopter equipped with 3 cameras and a GPS, weighting 16 grams, that can can autonomously fly and broadcast aerial video for 20+ minutes.

PD-100 Black Hornet
PD-100 Black Hornet

Because of the size and weight, it is apparently strongly affected by wind.

According to the soldier in the video, “a life saver”, as it basically allows to see what’s ahead, before you actually get there.

Continue reading British Army and the Black Hornet PD-100 UAV

Citizens take down police drones to avoid aerial surveillance

In the following video, a Drone in a police mission in the city of San Francisco, shown performing a number of surveillance tasks

A screenshot from Alan Cornell's  "our drone future" video
A screenshot from Alex Cornell’s “our drone future” video

is taken down by a shooting citizen, specifically a blonde woman.

Citizen takes down drone - From "our drone future" video
Citizen takes down drone – From “our drone future” video

Continue reading Citizens take down police drones to avoid aerial surveillance

Multirotors for protecting endangered wildlife – Airware’s drones guard african rhinos

Using drones for surveillance is a somewhat controversial activity that entails several aspects, including legal ones, that have to be weighted and balanced for the best interest of all the parties involved.

In urban environments the use of drones could be an important tool for law enforcement, although such use requires some careful planning. This kind of use has to take into account, and balance with citizen’s right to privacy.

In other instances, multirotors were used by activists to monitor what they deem as illegal or disgraceful activities, for example on the treatment of animals on private land. Check out this story or this one, for example. Interestingly, both these stories deal with the protection of animals from mistreatment.

On the same line, but in an entirely different environment, a project have started, as a collaboration between Airware, a company that specializes in the construction of UAVs for a variety of applications, and Ol Pejeta Conservacy, a non-profit wildlife conservancy in Kenya supporting endangered species, tourism and community outreach.

Airwave's web site, click to visit
Airwave’s web site, click image to visit

Continue reading Multirotors for protecting endangered wildlife – Airware’s drones guard african rhinos

Black Hornet PD-100 PRS nano UAV – The perfect personal drone for military applications

An amazing little personal drone in the form of a micro helicopter has been in use for a while now, strictly for military applications.

The Black Hornet PD-100 nano UAV micro sized helicopter.
The Black Hornet PD-100 nano UAV micro sized helicopter – All PD-100 images are snapshots from the original video

Continue reading Black Hornet PD-100 PRS nano UAV – The perfect personal drone for military applications

Drone for class surveillance in school during exams, an efficient technology?

In Thomas More College in Belgium an “experiment” was made to employ a little personal drone, a DJI Phantom equipped with a GoPro Camera for the surveillance of students during exams, as shown in the following video:

The technology at the moment suffers from a number of limitations: Continue reading Drone for class surveillance in school during exams, an efficient technology?

Pennsylvania Pigeon hunters shoot at multirotor that was filming them

As documented in the video below, a multirotor piloted by pro-animal activists that was filming the activities of some pigeon hunters in Pennsylvania, was shot while in action.

The author of the movie states that shooting the multirotor was an illegal act and constitutes “criminal damage to property”. The police called to the shooting spot by the activists decided to not take any particular action. Continue reading Pennsylvania Pigeon hunters shoot at multirotor that was filming them

Secom’s surveillance drone – An advanced flying security camera

As reported in this Nikkeibp story, Japanese firm Secom has released an innovative security camera, able to get close to the target and shoot pictures and videos to be used for information and evidence in security investigations. It is actually a medium sized  (80cm diameter) quadcopter with an unusual shape that offers way more flexibility and maneuverability than a fixed camera, even with PTZ control.  This one will track the target anywhere even in a huge area.

Images souce: Nikkeibp

Surveillance quadcopter by Secom japanese security firm
Surveillance quadcopter by Secom japanese security firm
Secom surveillance drone, rear side
Secom surveillance drone, rear side

When a non authorized person or vehicle enters the secured area, the quadcopter will get close and gather evidence about the intrusion by taking pictures and video. The drone can take pictures of a car license plate for example.

A licence plate picture taken by Secom's security quadcopter
A licence plate picture taken by Secom’s security quadcopter
Secom's quadcopter is equipped with a camera and two leds, and can determine the color of a vehicle even et night
Secom’s quadcopter is equipped with a camera and two leds, and can determine the color of a vehicle even et night

Controversial sheriff Joe Arpaio wants two drones for Maricopa County

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, also known as “America’s tougher sheriff”, wants two drones (why two and not more, I wonder) to help in law enforcement tasks in Maricopa County, Arizona.

Sheriff Joe Arpaio
Sheriff Joe Arpaio – photo source

He plans to use them in surveillance of areas difficult to reach otherwise.

“Surveillance regarding crime scenes and drugs [and] catching dope peddlers,”

“sometimes it’s difficult to get to these areas but if you have this great equipment to take pictures it would help.”

He also plans to fly the drones over local prison: “We do have some small problems with people throwing drugs over the fence.”

Watching US borders is also an application Arpaio has in mind: “we may use them go find dope peddlers coming into the United States, we make many drug seizures, we’re only 70 miles from the border,”

Read the original article at rt.com

If you live in Arizona beware: Sheriff Arpaio may soon be watching you from the sky. If you don’t live in Arizona don’t feel excluded. Somebody else will soon be watching you from the sky anyway. If it’s not happening already.

In Marseille police plans to use drones for law enforcement and surveillance purposes

Marseille Police chief Jen-Paul Bonnetain is pushing the idea of using drone based aerial surveillance to aid law enforcement and police investigations. The idea is strongly supported by socialist politician Eugène Castelli, who is ready to propose investments for millions of euros in the project.

Will Marseille become a test ground for a wider aerial surveillance program in France? Are we entering a science fiction era in which multicopters and personal, or less personal drones will be part of our everyday life?

surveillance drone

Source: Le Monde