They were helpful in keeping people inside during COVID and now – after several success stories of their deployment across world cities – the drones are coming to the Chinese technology hub of Shenzhen in Guangdong, to help with policing and public safety operations in the city.

The hum of rotors is becoming a familiar sound above the Shenzhen skies, with the newest recruits in the city’s public security force helping transform how the police monitor, respond to and prevent accidents in the city.

“A total of eight specialised drone units, each with a unique role such as patrolling, monitoring traffic flow and locating drug trafficking have been established,” Song Zhuoyuan, a spokesperson from Shenzhen Municipal Public Security Bureau told China Daily.

She added that the adoption of unmanned aerial vehicles in policing represents a significant step forward in modern law enforcement.

We have to say it is a bit surprising that the home city of DJI – the Mecca of all things commercial drone in the world – has been late to the party in integrating drone technology into its policing and public safety operations. But better late than never, we suppose.

Perhaps it is a good thing that, as a global hub for drone manufacturing and research, Shenzhen’s public security sector has now chosen to leverage the city’s technological prowess to create a sophisticated, multifaceted policing system that integrates drones into their work.

Beyond the usual deployments to traffic hotspots and other areas that need an eye in the sky, police in Nanshan district in June used a drone to create a detailed map of a gambling den hidden within a complex construction site.

The aerial mapping proved crucial in planning the subsequent raid that led to the arrest of sixteen suspects.

“Drones offer a significant advantage in such situations, providing a safe and efficient way to survey difficult-to-access locations and gather crucial evidence before a raid. In this case, the drone provided valuable visual evidence of the gambling operation, including its layout and the presence of suspects, which could be used as supporting evidence in the subsequent investigation and prosecution,” said Song.

The drones have also been hard at work around schools; maintaining law and order around Qiaoxiang School in Futian district. Early in the fall semester, some parents noticed a drone patrolling the school and its surrounding area during busy drop-off and pick-up times.

Police officers, usually two, would operate the drone from the school gate and use it to broadcast safety reminders via loudspeaker to pedestrians and drivers breaking traffic rules.

“Unlike fixed CCTV cameras, drones offer flexible, mobile surveillance, eliminating blind spots and improving visibility in complex situations,” said Pang Wenhui, deputy chief of UAV office of Shenzhen bureau’s special police detachment.

“High-definition video feeds allow for real-time decision-making in a command centre. For example, a drone could quickly identify illegally parked cars near a school, and thus enable a swift police response.”

According to Pang, the enhanced school safety initiative using drones is now active in eleven other Shenzhen districts.

The introduction of the new aerial police recruits has not been met with universal approval in the city though: some residents have raised concerns about privacy and the apparent potential of the drone to be misused for unauthorised surveillance on people.

It is a concern that has created serious problems for Chinese drone companies, especially in the United States, where lawmakers are making concerted legal moves to ban all Chinese drones from the US market.

However, Shenzhen authorities have emphasised the importance of transparency and adherence to strict operational guidelines to mitigate these risks.

“While challenges persist regarding the safe operation of drones and the prevalence of unauthorised drone activity, or “black flying”, we are implementing a multi-pronged strategy to address these concerns, which include investments in infrastructure, the development of a counter-drone system and a public awareness campaign encompassing education and enforcement,” said Wang Lei, deputy director of the guidance office of the Shenzhen public security bureau’s management detachment.

“We are also engaging with the private sector to foster safe and efficient drone operations.”