Recently, the Ministry of Works and Transport has outlined a plan to roll out live-streaming cameras at blind spots and to deploy drones as part of the broader strategy to reduce road accidents in Namibia. Although this is a welcome development, it is inherently an arduous and costly task to sustain that size of the project over the geographical space of our land.
Security has always been about staying one step ahead of potential risk – seeing more, responding faster, and protecting people and assets without unnecessary exposure to danger. In today’s world, where threats can emerge from anywhere, and speed is often the deciding factor, drones – or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) – are transforming the way security is approached. Admittedly, they are proving highly successful in road safety.
Unlike fixed surveillance cameras or manned patrols, drones can be airborne within minutes, scanning wide areas and streaming live data to law enforcement teams on the ground. This combination of speed and flexibility makes drones invaluable for monitoring and updating traffic flow and accidents and could also spot problems with road surfaces, as well as help identify anyone driving dangerously. In brief, drones indeed extend the reach of law enforcement teams, and at the same time they multiply it.
To prepare for integrating drones into road safety operations involves key considerations spanning over project definition, a comprehensive framework encompassing legal, operational, technological, and community engagement aspects. This includes: Developing Clear Regulations: Working with national aviation authorities to develop clear rules and obtain necessary operational authorisation that governs government drone use for public safety; Address Privacy Concerns: Develop written policies and guidelines that explicitly outline how, when and where drones will be used; Developing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs); Clarify Liability: Establish a clear legal framework for accountability and liability for private violations during operations, and Ensure compliance.
Benefits
Drones, or UAVs, are revolutionising traffic management by providing an unparalleled aerial perspective, real-time data collection, and artificial intelligence (AI)-driven analysis. This shift from traditional, fixed surveillance methods enhances response times, improves safety, and helps optimise urban mobility.
Ensuring effective drone operations requires a combination of meticulous planning, rigorous maintenance, adherence to regulations and skilled piloting. For instance, done operations done in South Africa’s road safety efforts are showing promising results, primarily in accident investigation, traffic monitoring, and accident response, with pilot projects demonstrating significant cost-effectiveness compared to traditional methods.
A study in Stellenbosch, South Africa, found one roaming drone could effectively cover an area that would otherwise require 15 cameras at a significantly reduced cost. Compared to the high cost of installing and maintaining extensive fixed infrastructure or deploying manned helicopters, drones offer a more cost-effective and flexible economic solution for monitoring large areas. There are several ways drones or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are currently helping law enforcement to make the road safer.
Fleet-Lights: We know that many parts of our country, in towns and cities, have no streetlights at all, or where cash-strapped councils turn them off at certain times. This prototype services use a fleet of torch drones, which respond to an individual’s movement and are controlled using a bespoke application programme. It will track you whether you are on foot, on a bike, or in a car, and guide you to your destination. Streetlights could be much better, especially as the nights draw in. However, better lighting on notorious dark and dangerous stretches of our main roads or highways can potentially reduce accidents.
Some challenges that need addressing include technical limitations like battery life, weather dependency, and amounts for combined costs, such as equipment purchase, software, training, licensing, maintenance and insurance. Also, due to geographic land mass, it is expected that the drones intended for this project should be required to withstand harsh conditions, fly over longer distances, and carry advanced payloads that adapt to the needs of modern security forces to meet required expectations. This would be shaping drones into more than just flying cameras, but creating tools that redefine how professionals should effectively protect people’s lives, assets and infrastructure.
*Maj. Gen. (RTD) J. B. Tjivikua is a criminal intelligence analyst. This is an abridged version of the original text.