The City of Cape Town showcased its new aerial surveillance technology designed for crime-fighting during a demonstration on Monday.
Western Cape premier Alan Winde, mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis and safety and security MMC JP Smith were among those attending the event.
The city's information, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) technology aims to elevate information-gathering methods to combat crime, including vehicle theft, hijackings, gangsterism and poaching. Referred to as the eye-in-the-sky, the cutting-edge technology uses a two-seater aircraft equipped with advanced cameras to capture high-definition aerial imagery for policing operations.
The aircraft — a Cessna 337 operated by trained professionals — boasts capabilities surpassing those of drones. Equipped with infrared cameras it can detect heat signatures such as those from the wheels of a moving vehicle or recently fired firearms.
“I am impressed by eye-in-the-sky's crime fighting capability, which will give the edge to our 1,300 new officers deployed via the Leap partnership between the Western Cape government and city,” said Winde.
“This is a big step towards smarter policing, where technology is better used.”
Cape Town's new 'eye-in-the-sky' to help combat vehicle crime
Image: Supplied
The City of Cape Town showcased its new aerial surveillance technology designed for crime-fighting during a demonstration on Monday.
Western Cape premier Alan Winde, mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis and safety and security MMC JP Smith were among those attending the event.
The city's information, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) technology aims to elevate information-gathering methods to combat crime, including vehicle theft, hijackings, gangsterism and poaching. Referred to as the eye-in-the-sky, the cutting-edge technology uses a two-seater aircraft equipped with advanced cameras to capture high-definition aerial imagery for policing operations.
The aircraft — a Cessna 337 operated by trained professionals — boasts capabilities surpassing those of drones. Equipped with infrared cameras it can detect heat signatures such as those from the wheels of a moving vehicle or recently fired firearms.
“I am impressed by eye-in-the-sky's crime fighting capability, which will give the edge to our 1,300 new officers deployed via the Leap partnership between the Western Cape government and city,” said Winde.
“This is a big step towards smarter policing, where technology is better used.”
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Hill-Lewis welcomed the technology as a glimpse into the future of crime-fighting in Cape Town.
The city's investment (R610m over three years) in safety technologies includes drones, dashcams, bodycams, gunshot detection systems, licence plate recognition cameras and EPIC, a digital co-ordination system for crime prevention.
However, while technological investments are crucial, they cannot replace the necessity for a well-functioning police service, he said.
The ISR technology's versatility allows coverage of larger geographical areas, longer airtime for reconnaissance flights and reduced dependency on weather conditions compared with drones.
Officials expressed optimism about its potential in combating drug dealing, gun violence and gang activity, while also improving rapid response times during planned operations through the relay of precise information.
TimesLIVE
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