Drones & security applications.

The internet, GPS, microwave & duct tape are just some of the many military inventions which have transformed the way we live & work. While commercial drones are non-weaponized, miniaturized descendants of their big brothers, the role of commercial drones as effective security platforms have taken time to find their wings.

For years, applications for commercial drones as viable security platforms have largely been ‘hit & miss, illegal, & literally flights of fancy, until now.

What’s Changed?

But what’s changed? Mostly, we have seen the cost of drone systems decrease; the relaxing & the improvement of flight regulations such as beyond line-of-sight operations & most importantly an improved tech stack to draw on. These tech advances include greater autonomy; extended flight times; the Internet of things (IOT); increasing 5g coverage to support autonomous flying & data; improved sensors, particularly within the thermal (infrared) spectrum & stereoscopic cameras.

These forces are converging to create multiple, practical & cost-effective security applications for specific scenarios, as with security needs, a one size fits all solution is bound to fail. From community safety to border patrolling, access control, events, industrial plants & more, drones are increasingly able to keep intruders out & protect staff & investments. As with their older & larger military siblings, the best use of drones is their ability to cover large areas of ground faster than l& based & fixed security systems.

Overcoming Costs and New Applications to consider

Much of the challenges surrounding mass adoption & scaling of drone delivery is economics & the bias towards existing supply chain infrastructure. It was a question, which the Lancet Medical Journal analysed when they compared delivery programmes using motorcycles & UAVs during the height of the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. Their conclusion was that drones become more cost effective the longer the range (100km). However, what is more important is that they created a benchmark for comparison, which is useful for medical & government authorities when evaluating new proposals. (Amukele, T)

The costs of drone operations have decreased dramatically since the height of the Ebola crisis in 2015 due to innovations in design & growth in market size, while arguably road transport costs & risks associated with transporting on poor roads will remain if not increase. While swarms of UAVs delivering vaccines are unlikely in the near future; the likelihood of them being used to deliver vaccines in rural areas is possible with test kits already being distributed in Ghana. Moreover, in a comparative computational study, drone delivery increased vaccine availability & decreased costs in all sensitivity analyses ($0.05 to $0.21 per dose administered), proving that drones are increasingly more cost effective, safer & efficient if used frequently enough to overcome set up costs. (Poljak M, Sterbenc A)

Mining

As an early adopter of drones for surveying options, blast management, & more, the mining sector has helped fast track & provide proof of concept for the commercial drone sector. As a high-risk environment, security & surveillance have been a major source of escalating costs for mine owners. Now mines can deploy solutions depending on location & need. By using a fixed wing drones with longer flight times that provide a beyond line of site & wide-angle virtual eye in the sky which scans for threats, theft, & intruders. Operating beyond line of site is a key differential in the fight against theft on site; particularly for platinum & precious stones, which are easily smuggled. If intruders, or theft is detected, copter drones can be deployed for close-up inspections, flying in restricted areas or when more flexibility is required.

Industrial Plants

For owners of industrial plants, smelters & oil & gas facilities; patrolling these multi-million-dollar asset sites is challenging from a cost & risk perspective due to their size & man power restrictions. To counteract this, drones can now perform several key tasks from surveillance, gas detection, identifying structural weaknesses, & more depending on mission objectives. New developments in technology, chiefly autonomy has created a new range of security applications for autonomous drones, which can be operated on 4g & 5g networks that fly either predetermined routes or activated by alarm systems.

Railways & Ports

Theft, criminal behaviour, smuggling & other types of criminal behaviour at railyards remains a major concern for operators, owners & various stakeholders worldwide. In an effort to patrol these sites & create a force multiplier, authorities in India & South Africa, as well as other emerging markets are turning to drones to continuously survey & patrol high risk sites with significant success in reducing criminal activities.

Cable Theft

Even with helicopters equipped with Flir thermal camera & operators, the battle to stop the theft of electric cabling has been a long running challenge, particularly in South Africa, costing the economy hundreds of millions of dollars each year. Now drone operators positioned at strategic locations & equipped with thermal or RGB sensor can detect movement in key locations or detect illegal access points. By reducing the cost of surveillance & deploying live feeds, authorities can gather greater data & information to create more effective countermeasures.

Home Security

While flying over neighbourhoods presents a number of privacy challenges, large private estates can conceivably overcome these objectives through their own homeowners’ association rules. As such, estates can now use drones for surveillance & as an active security deterrent. By equipping drones with infrared cameras, operators can adopt a more proactive approach to prevent crime.

Festivals, Expos & Sports

With tens of thousands of visitors, festivals are high risk & challenging security operations. Drones can now provide higher vantage points for security operators & police & have been deployed at festivals such as Coachella & others for a variety of objectives. Additional applications include inspecting perimeter breaches, crowd disturbances & monitor traffic around the venue.

Wildlife Security

Drones are increasingly being deployed in the fight against well-armed & funded poaching syndicates. Smaller & able to cover large distances, drones provide a first line of detection for security forces to deploy. Long range or fixed wing drones can fly pre-programmed routes or provided added security to rangers on patrol.

Rural Security

As policing in rural areas remain challenging, numerous farming communities & policing forums are looking to drones to provide a solution to reduce their vulnerability. Deployed from central command centres, drones equipped with thermal, RGB or stereoscopic lenses can detect intruders, monitor stock, orchards & personal safety. In comparison to helicopters, which for the most part are unequipped with night vision to conduct after dark operations in rural areas, drones provide a viable & smart security platform.

Risk Assessments

From an active security deterrent to being used as an intelligent assessment tool, drones are a powerful tool for risk assessment. These drones can be used to acquire real time data & create digital twins, which can help to create more accurate & advanced security protocols & responses.

Automation

The market for drone security applications is growing. The recent granting of a license for American Robotics to operate drones remotely without humans on site by the US’ Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will help unlock further value across a multitude of sectors, but particularly in security. In theory a control room hundreds of kilometres away could monitor & deploy drones for surveillance & other objectives safely & at a lower cost.

The Last Word

Security remains a concern for all, especially in isolated & developing economies; where policing & security services are often under resourced. Drones, & in particular, autonomous systems, which collect data & can be rapidly deployed, or operated remotely, can help create security solutions that are robust, adaptable & a vital tool in the war against crime.

Article provided by Rocketmine. Check-out their profiles:

Australian Office: https://avpay.aero/company/rocketmine-australia/

Ghanaian Office: https://avpay.aero/company/rocketmine-ghana/

South African Office: https://avpay.aero/company/rocketmine/

Promote your business by setting-up your own AvPay Profile here.