The City’s Safety and Security Directorate is upgrading its crime prevention capabilities with advanced aerial surveillance technology, adding an eye in the sky to its already impressive technological arsenal.
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The information, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) technology will advance information gathering in the fight against poaching, land invasions, vegetation fires, illegal street racing, gang incidents, and the pursuit of stolen or hijacked vehicles.
ISR, also known as Eye in the Sky, is a two-seat fixed-wing aircraft equipped with cutting-edge cameras that the Safety and Security Directorate will use to provide officers with situational awareness and aerial imagery while conducting various enforcement operations. The aircraft that can fly higher than a drone is also equipped with infrared cameras, which allow it to detect body heat in cold water, heat emitted by a recently fired firearm, or even the wheels of a speeding vehicle.
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‘The ISR technology is a versatile tool, as the fixed wing aircraft can cover larger geographical areas, stay in the air for longer periods doing low level reconnaissance flights and will be less weather dependent than drones,’ said Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, JP Smith.

’The aircraft will also assist with improving rapid response time by officers during planned operations as precise information can be relayed. The technology’s use will not be limited to the enforcement environment, but can also help in other instances, like the monitoring of high voltage lines, vandalism of vital infrastructure, coastal impact and biodiversity related issues.’
The tender for the reconnaissance fixed-wing aircraft was recently awarded following a lengthy process due to the technical complexity.
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The City has previously tested the use of a fixed-wing aircraft during crime prevention operations and to assist firefighting during the devastating Table Mountain fire in 2021.
Training for command centre staff and operational personnel will begin once the contract management stage is completed. This ensures that the staff is familiar with the technology and can use it effectively when it is deployed.
The aircraft is a Cessna 337, which is provided with trained and experienced pilots under a tender contract.
The latest addition to the aerial information, surveillance, and reconnaissance aircraft is part of the City’s technological rollout, which also includes drones, DashCam, BodyCam, Shotspotter, CCTV, and ANPR applications.
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Picture: Supplied/ CoCT