The City of Cape Town demonstrated its powerful new crime-fighting aerial surveillance technology during a staged search, rescue and car chase scenario on Monday, 6 May.
The City's information, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) technology will take information gathering to the next level in the fight against gang incidents, poaching, stolen vehicles, vegetation fires, and various criminal activities.
ISR, commonly referred to as Eye-in-the-Sky, is a two-seater piloted aircraft fitted with cameras to provide high-definition aerial imagery for smarter policing operations.
The aircraft can fly higher than a drone, and is fitted with infrared cameras, allowing it to register the heat resonating from a recently fired firearm, body heat in cold water, or even the wheels of a speeding vehicle.
"I am impressed by Eye-in-the-Sky's crime fighting capability, which will give the edge to our 1 300 new officers we have deployed via the LEAP partnership between the Western Cape Government and City.
"This morning's demonstration showed how the City is able to carry out a search, rescue, and chase operation using integrated technology, from aerial surveillance to bodycams on officers, and licence-plate recognition cameras along highways. This is a big step towards smarter policing, where technology is better utilised," said Premier Alan Winde
Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis said the City is investing R610 million in various safety tech over three years, having already invested R200 million in the current financial year.
The ISR technology has the versatility to cover larger geographical areas, stay in the air for longer periods doing reconnaissance flights, and is less weather dependent than drones.
The Eye-in-the-Sky aircraft is a Cessna 337, piloted by trained, experienced professionals. The City intends the technology's use to help in other instances beyond enforcement, including the monitoring of high voltage lines, vandalism of vital infrastructure, coastal impact and biodiversity related issues.
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