The Security Media Department at the General Secretariat of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, upgraded the technical specifications of its remote-controlled flying drones, which were put to use in 2010, as now they are able to capture Full HD footage for media coverage.
According to Major Jamal Al Hosani, Chief of Technical Affairs Section at the Security Media and Technical Affairs Department, the project, which is being developed by local experts, aims to showcase the strategic role of the Abu Dhabi Police General Headquarters, and provide other logistic services, mainly lowering the risks that may face police officers and media professionals on accident sites. This will also help develop policing systems and methods for handling emergencies, to promote security and safety earnings using modern and innovative methods, to elevate the police work system and its new concepts, in accordance with the vision of the U.A.E. government.
Major Al Hosani said, "The Technical Affairs Department has introduced new technical specifications for its fleet of 7 unmanned drones, to include capturing footage of hard-to-reach areas such as traffic accidents, fires, and major events using Full HD video technology, which provides a resolution that is substantially higher than that of the previously used Standard Definition (SD). The drones are equipped with dual day / night cameras to capture the most accurate details, as well as a zooming feature for filming footage from a very far distance." He also noted that the newly updated drones provide leaders with a unique airborne perspective of the incident via live streaming, through special applications available for the Security Media field patrols; they transmit the captured footage directly to the Central Operations' Room, and allow officials to follow up on the unfolding of the events with a view to take the proper decisions.
The remote-controlled flying drones provide media support for the Security Media field patrols, which were recently launched to cover the events that take place on the roads of Abu Dhabi around the clock. They transmit footage simultaneously to maximise the media coverage.
The service provided by both the drones and the Security Media patrols contribute to developing the Ministry of Interior's media work. It also ensures documentation of security events, provides help to media workers, and supports media coverage of police events with more comprehensive, faster and higher quality footage. It has a storage capacity to save photographs and videos that can be easily retrieved when needed.
Speaking about the crew that operates the remote-controlled unmanned drone, the project director said, "The crew that operates the drone is made up of qualified national cadres (An operator and a controller per drone) to handle accidents at sites that may pose a risk to civilians, making it possible to obtain accurate and detailed footage of the events".
Major Al Hosani enumerated the general specifications of the drone. "The drone is a small unpiloted aerial vehicle remotely and easily controlled and stable during flight. Using the on-board camera, the drone captures footage and still photographs of various events from all angles with High-definition television (HDTV) resolution technology. It can also receive images and zooms in on them through a special monitor designed for media tasks," he added.
Adding further, Major Al Hosani noted that drone has been equipped for take-off and flight. "Upon receiving notification from the Central Operations Room, the operator dispatches the drone towards the incident site. Prior to that, the controller contacts the competent authorities to obtain necessary approvals to fly the drone and cover events on the ground or in high areas as they unfold," Major Al Hosani explained.
The head of the Technical Affairs Department stressed the pivotal role of the Security Media drone, which sheds light on the humanitarian and social aspects of police work, through an integrated technical perspective. "This reflects the Ministry of Interior's commitment to promote the standards of openness and transparency of the media message. It also embodies the ministry's firm belief in the right of media outlets and the public to be informed to ensure everyone's safety," underlined Major Al Hosani.
Furthermore, he added, "The project comes in response to the directives of the police leadership, and reflects their keen interest to ensure public safety and transparency as one of the top priorities of the police's media work. The police leadership is also keen to leverage modern devices and technologies to enhance the competencies of police personnel working in this field, in a bid to achieve the coveted goals through various modern and innovative methods. It also aims to upgrade policing work methods and its new concepts, which is not only limited to keeping up with events, but to be at the heart of events".
Source: WAM