It was bound to happen, but they put flashing lights on it so it’s ok !!
Several times a day, a drone carrying high-capacity cameras and flashing red-and-blue lights whirs and rises from the rooftops of police stations across Hong Kong.
They emerge from a box-shaped docking system that slowly unfolds its doors to both sides. Some hover over the city’s billion-dollar villas with private pools and tennis courts; others whizz along streets bustling with people and traffic.
Hong Kong police have been rapidly expanding their use of surveillance technology and automated drones. They have used drones to hunt down people who overstayed visas or gambled illegally.
According to the police force, these technologies will help deliver high-quality police services and optimise deployment and efficiency. Drones and cameras alike will also likely be combined with the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and facial recognition capabilities.
Drones will substitute some of the police’s foot patrols, and tens of thousands of surveillance cameras will be installed to assist in investigations and arrests.
Since a drone patrol pilot scheme was rolled out in May last year, the technology has helped arrest 54 people, including at least six wanted individuals, according to police. The force did not provide complete data, but at least half of the suspects allegedly committed non-violent crimes.
More depressing stuff here
Eyes in the sky: Hong Kong police tackle petty crime with drone patrols, but privacy concerns linger
