Companies Employ Drone Technology in a Bid to Combat Sabotage
Technology is at the frontline of defence against online security breaches – and now companies are using drones to help keep their physical premises safe too.
Eskom has turned to drone technology in a bid to prevent further attacks on its electricity infrastructure. This move, which is a first for the national power producer, is an indication of just how mainstream this technology has become – so don’t be surprised if you see a couple of drones flying overhead from now on.
We take a deeper look into drone technology and just how security companies and corporations across South Africa are using it to improve security on the ground.
stopping vandalism from the air
Last year saw several prominent attacks on Eskom infrastructure, almost causing the national power grid to reach level six load shedding.
These criminal acts, which are suspected to have been carried out by disgruntled Eskom employees, are being countered by boots on the ground – and drones in the skies.
The country’s sole power producer had a rough year in 2021, with several highly publicised attacks on its power stations and substations across the country.
In response to these attacks, Eskom has employed hundreds of new security personnel to guard its power stations.
Criminals that think they’re clever enough to evade the eyes on the ground may be in for a nasty shock. Aerial drones are now being deployed around power stations to both detect potential attacks and track the criminals who carry them out once they flee the scene of the crime.
Fidelity plans to deploy drones in Johannesburg North
The use of drones as a security device is not limited to Eskom. Fidelity, one of South Africa’s biggest private security firms, recently announced a test project to be carried out in Fourways, Johannesburg.
Starting on a small scale, drones will be deployed to patrol residential streets in the suburbs with any suspicious activity being reported immediately to the company’s command centre.
The unique bird’s eye view that drones can provide could be a game changer in the realm of physical security across South Africa, but there are a few challenges ahead for companies that wish to employ this technology.
- Drones can’t just be deployed anywhere and anytime with special licenses required to own and operate these devices commercially.
- As a relatively untested technology in SA, the effectiveness of drones may take a while to become obvious as security companies learn to work with this new technology efficiently.
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