No place to hide for Cape Town’s criminals (opens original article in a new tab)

Cape Town is expanding drone operations to 3,000 annual flights, using thermal-imaging technology to track criminals, assist in arrests, and support public safety missions. The city emphasizes compliance with privacy laws and uses drones for crime prevention, crowd management, and search-and-rescue.

• Cape Town is tripling drone use from 1,000 to 3,000 annual flights for crime-fighting and search-and-rescue
• Drones use thermal imaging to detect body heat and track suspects in dark areas or during protests
• Drones assist in drug busts, recover firearms, and support high-risk operations with specialized equipment
• City plans to train 12 additional pilots to expand drone operations