Drones are conventionally classified as unmanned aerial vehicles or unmanned aerial systems.
They vary in size and usage, but are typically remote controlled and fall under the regulatory scope of the South African Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).
Geoff Shapiro, general manager of operations at 24/7 Security, expressed his optimism over the use of drones.
The company has procured these small aircraft machines and intend to use them in the near future.
A demonstration of this new technology was held on 25 February at 24/7 Security’s head office in Wynberg.
“I believe that this is the next evolution in crime fighting although [at the moment] from a commercial point of view, there is a lot of red tape,” said Shapiro.
Shapiro indicated that drone technology can make the suburbs a safer place.
He stated that the drones were able to provide live feedback and record key information about the surroundings.
“They can detect suspicious activities, and [used to monitor] people and vehicles. They can also be used to detect if a perimeter has been broken,” said Shapiro.
He also emphasised that the drones would only be used strictly within public spaces.
Currently, the civil aviation authority does not provide detailed guidelines or conclusive legislation on the use of unmanned aircraft systems (drones).
The CAA classifies the main differences between drones and toy aircrafts by the intended use of the machines.
Drones are utilised for professional and commercial purposes instead of recreational and sporting purposes.
According to the South African Civil Aviation’s official website, “The commercial operations of unmanned aircraft systems have not yet been approved in South Africa by the Director of Civil Aviation Authority.”
However, they do plan to release a white paper containing guidelines for the use of drones in March.
24/7 Security is currently awaiting clarification from the CAA and is consulting the legal jurisdictions for the use of unmanned aircraft systems, before they implement drones in crime-fighting initiatives.
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