Drones Over Singapore: Flying Eyes on Your Social Distancing Habits
Picture this: a small, feather‑light 10‑kg machine takes off from a roof, buzzes past traffic, and keeps a watchful eye on whether people are staying the proper distance. That’s the reality Singapore’s police are testing, thanks to a tech partnership with Israel’s Airobotics.
What the drones actually do
- They’re pilotless – no pilot needed; the software does all the flying.
- Trained to spot anomalies like unexpected crowds or gatherings that might hide a spike in COVID‑19.
- They stream live footage straight to the police command centre for instant analysis.
The pilot run
Over three and a half months, the drones flew above an industrial estate in the western part of the city. Airobotics claims it is the first time commercial drones get a green light to fly over a major metropolis.
“We’re helping keep normal operations running during the pandemic,” said CEO Ran Krauss to Reuters. “Police can’t always be everywhere, so let the drones do the heavy lifting.”
Why Singapore is on board
The Home Team Science & Technology Agency (HTX) is behind the trial. Senior Engineer Low Hsien Meng explained that the drones can pinpoint spots that walking or driving officers might miss.
HTX is already leasing the units for police use – and the drones have found a home elsewhere too, with corporate and industrial clients in Israel and the U.S. Airobotics invested roughly $100 million to build them and raised an additional $120 million in funding.
What’s next?
Next up is a one‑year project to test more capabilities. Airobotics hinted at using the drones for life‑saving tasks like delivering defibrillators on demand.
Social‑distancing enforcement remains in the pipeline, and HTX isn’t releasing any further details right now.
Stay tuned – because if you’re too close to a coworker, a drone may be watching!
