Drone use by police in Hong Kong welcome as long as safeguards in place
The widespread use of drones – from food delivery to law enforcement and rescue operations – has revolutionised practices across the private and public sectors. But while the use of unmanned aircraft is an irreversible trend as new technologies and regulations enable more such devices to take to the sky, it also raises legitimate concerns, such as the potential threats to public safety and privacy intrusion. There needs to be proper control and safeguards so that the anticipated convenience and efficiency does not come with negative impacts on society.
The Hong Kong Police Force is conducting two types of drone patrols in the city's northern border area of Heung Yuen Wai and urban locations in Kowloon West for crime detection. The former involves using an automatic drone docking system to conduct patrols along boundary fences on a set route under the monitoring of an officer. For the densely populated area in Kowloon West, officers will work in pairs and operate the drone within view. The aircraft will be flying 60 metres above buildings, amid concerns that they may peer into the windows of residential blocks.
The regular drone patrols mark a shift from the current operation-based approach, in which such devices are usually deployed for mountain rescues and crowd control for specific events. The use of drones can complete border patrols within 15 to 20 minutes, compared to patrols involving two or three officers taking around an hour.
The new measures are timely and should be welcomed. In the age of technology and artificial intelligence, drone patrols have been introduced in other places. The deployment keeps the police force updated with the latest technology, increases operational efficiency and saves manpower and resources.
The Post raised concerns over privacy when the scheme was first floated late last year. The assurance by the force to comply with privacy laws is to be welcomed. Residents living in areas under drone paths will also be given advance notice of the operation.
Public confidence can be enhanced when there are sufficient safeguards to dispel fears that citizens are being spied on by police drones. The trial is a good opportunity to see whether privacy and other operational issues need to be further addressed.
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