Hong Kong police launch first drone patrols in urban areas
Hong Kong police have launched their first drone patrols in urban settings, with the unmanned aerial vehicles able to inspect an area the size of 13 football pitches in 25 minutes.
The force on Friday deployed a drone to cover a 96,000 square metre area around Yau Ma Tei and Jordan in Kowloon.
Carlos Shum Lap-chi, operations officer in Yau Tsim police district, said the patrol area bordered Dundas Street, Nathan Road and a section of Waterloo Road in Yau Ma Tei, as well as Ferry Street in Jordan.
'Our drone patrols can perform a few more rounds than [equivalent] ground patrols. The effectiveness is significant,' Shum said.
The patrol followed the launch of a three-month pilot scheme for drones to inspect the border and Kowloon West late last month.
As part of the pilot scheme, drone patrols in Yau Tsim, which covers Yau Ma Tei, Jordan and Tsim Sha Tsui, would first focus on crime hotspots, Shum said.
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