Having recently become of the select few organisations to acquire a licence for docked drone operations from the national regulator – which gives it the greenlight to operate drone docks from a remote operations centre, a South African security company has not wasted time putting its good fortune to good use.

Johannesburg-based 24/7 Drone Force, the drone wing of 24/7 Security, has announced the launch of several docked drone solutions for its clients in the Johannesburg area, which will double as drone first response implements around areas the company serves and protects.

Drone docking systems are becoming a popular security technology tool of choice for security services providers in South Africa, given their capacity to operate with less human pilots, which allows clients to cut costs when in investing in drone services for security provision.

“The solution utilises unmanned aircraft systems (UAS)/drones designed to conduct remote docking station operations,” said 24/7 Drone Force in a statement.

“The drone-in-a-box solution takes off, lands, and recharges from a docking station automatically. The drones are programmed to conduct missions and are controlled and monitored by licensed BVLOS (Beyond Visual Line of Sight) Remote Pilot Operators from our central Command Centre.”

The company said its command centre serves as the nerve centre for all drone operations, enabling real-time command and control of the aircraft and live monitoring of drone feeds, environmental conditions, and potential security threats.

“BVLOS Licensed Pilot Operators make data-driven decisions instantly, ensuring optimal responses to incidents as they unfold.”

The company will also be leveraging the automated capabilities of its docked drones to offer drone first response (DFR) programmes to its clients; where the drones will respond to emergencies and incidents quickly.

“DFR involves the rapid deployment of drones to respond to emergencies. The drones provide real-time aerial footage and data to first responders on the ground, who assess and react to incidents.”

The DFR will come with the added benefits of faster response times, improved situational awareness, enhanced infrastructure protection, among several others.

“By leveraging drone technology, Drone First Response systems can improve response times, enhance situational awareness, and ultimately save lives,” the company said.