Bhubaneswar: The Commissionerate Police is all set to deploy drones or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to keep a watch on traffic movements and crowds during large gatherings in the Temple City, deputy commissioner of Police (DCP) Prateek Singh said Saturday.
According to the DCP, the twin city Commissionerate Police has been relying on technology to strengthen law and order, surveillance and crowd management.
Singh said advanced drones will be used for traffic management and surveillance during rallies, gheraos and other international events in the City. “During VVIP visits and large gatherings like public meetings, festivals and protest rallies in the Capital city, we have so far been deploying police personnel on strategic locations like rooftops for better surveillance,” the Bhubaneswar DCP said, adding that drones will help reduce the burden on police personnel.
One drone has been procured and more will be bought after reviewing its utility, Singh said. “The drones can cover a radius of 5km and go up to 500 metres high. With high-definition cameras, the drones will provide realtime pictures for better surveillance,” Singh pointed out.
The experts of the company supplying the drones have been imparting training to a group of selected officials of the commissionerate police. The city police team will operate the drones equipped with advanced and complex technologies.
According to cyber experts, drones can help police in several ways like reducing time of stakeouts or secret surveillance of buildings and taking pictures of concealed locations, monitoring large events like concerts, parades, public meetings and sporting events giving a wider coverage from the above and can remotely assess threats, proper study of crime scenes or road accidents and bomb disposal.
Drones have been widely used for traffic surveillance and crime investigation by police departments of various states in India.
PNN