The use of Drones in the field of Security and Emergencies is no longer theoretical but a reality.
The experiences obtained to date by public and private entities that have used Drones are very, positive and their usefulness is already indisputable.
The legislation in force until last year was quite restrictive, but Royal Decree 1036/2017 of 15 December 2017, which regulates the civil use of remotely piloted aircraft, opens the door to their use in multiple areas.
As we said, different security and protection bodies have begun to incorporate Drones (RPAs) into their services. If the operations are carried out properly, the benefits in the fields of safety, prevention and relief of people are enormous and its implementation is unstoppable.
In the field of EMERGENCIES it is possible to use Drones in:
The search and rescue of people in the aquatic environmentThe search for missing persons in places that are difficult to access and/or very extensiveRescue at heightIn accidents involving dangerous goodsIn accidents involving installations with hazardous substancesIn the dispatch of rescue and rescue materialIn forest fires, industrial fires and homes. In the review and control of damaged infrastructuresIn the control and extinction of urban, industrial and forest firesIn the control of emergency situations and citizen securityIn logistical supportIn the use of them as a communications repeaterSeveral administrations have already been implemented in this regard and here are some examples:
The Valencia Fire Brigade will use drones in their services, aimed at prevention, emergencies and training. A total of ten firefighters will make up the first unmanned aerial unit in Spain.
For its part, the Ministry of the Environment of Cantabria has donated a drone to SEPRONA (Nature Protection Service of the Guardia Civil) so that it can fight more effectively against poaching in the mountains and collaborate in the prevention of forest fires and polluting discharges.
Likewise, the Ministry of the Interior of the Basque Government is carrying out tests with drones manufactured in Spain, specifically in Zaragoza, to equip the Autonomous Police with aircraft for traffic surveillance and accident prevention.
Another administration that has shown its intention to use RPAs is that of the Torrevieja City Council, which has proposed the “Salvadrón” project. This project consists of a service to be provided by a licensed operator and consists of two water rescue aircraft.
As well as the Malaga City Council, which already has drones manufactured by the University of Malaga, which, equipped with a thermal imaging camera, facilitate help in prevention work and emergency actions.
In the field of SURVEILLANCE and SECURITY, Drones allow surveillance and control tasks to be carried out. At the moment, the most frequent environments for which they are used have to do with maritime rescue and security at mass events, such as festivals, concerts or sporting events, but in the not too distant future they will be used for road safety (the Directorate General of Traffic (DGT) is already studying the use of Drones to control traffic in a more efficient and productive way) or the surveillance of industrial estates.
They will be increasingly widespread in the private sphere, as it is a very good video-surveillance solution for the control of large surfaces and open spaces, due to its wide field of vision, speed and versatility.
Thanks to technological advances, the arrival of Graphene batteries, the lowering of the costs of technology and the adaptation of the law and airspaces to this sector, in a few years we will be familiar with the flight of Drones performing video-surveillance functions in urbanizations, large communities of owners, etc. surface car parks, monuments and ruins, sports facilities and industrial estates. As well as in livestock farms, cultivation areas, rustic farms, forests and natural spaces, parks and gardens, agricultural holdings, hunting reserves, solar farms and golf courses
As we have mentioned, video surveillance through drones is ideal for the protection and perimeter security of large areas as it is a reliable, effective and high-resolution video surveillance solution. Drones can be equipped with high-resolution security cameras with image stabilization that guarantees great sharpness and neutralizes movements.
On the other hand, real-time video combined with the use of drones makes them perfect surveillance instruments. The use of real-time video makes it possible to monitor the recordings through a checkpoint where the images obtained can be viewed and evaluated. The images are transmitted in real time wirelessly to a video surveillance recorder that ensures the integrity of the images and validates them as judicial evidence in the event that a crime is caught. Likewise, the possibility of incorporating thermal cameras into drones will allow us to see what the human eye is not capable of detecting.
Drones can also be programmed to take off at a set time so that they perform safety and terrain reconnaissance functions automatically. Drones can be programmed to carry out video-surveillance rounds, previously defining the routes and duration of the rounds. Night patrols can be planned and carried out every hour, checking the accesses and the perimeter of the space to be protected.
In the same way, drones can be equipped with night vision cameras (infrared surveillance cameras), GPS (to schedule their flights), with facial recognition technology that allows them to identify users and detect intruders and unauthorized access, and even with motion detectors.
Unlike fixed surveillance cameras that are only useful when the intrusion or incident takes place in front of their target, drones are capable of searching, locating and tracking targets. In addition, they fly tens of meters high, making it very difficult for them to be sabotaged with sprays or other traditional methods.
All this technology will be, little by little, entering all areas of security, also being used in crowd control, border control or even the reconstruction of crime scenes and possibly our children will see it applied to many other sectors such as the transport of parcels or people. areas in which experiments have already been carried out today but which are not viable in the day-to-day reality and in the current situation.