Automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) is a technology that has been around for decades. Law enforcement agencies typically use it to identify and track vehicle owners, but now it can be done without ever leaving the ground. Drone ANPR is the latest weapon in vehicle enforcement.
For the police force, law enforcement agencies have made the use of drones for ANPR with trained and certified drone pilots. To fly a drone in public areas, you must have either: (I) an FAA Remote Pilot Certificate with an unmanned aerial systems rating; or (ii) be directly supervised by someone who holds the certification AND hold the relevant licence to fly in your jurisdiction.
The drone pilots can fly a long way from the pilot, and read the licence plate numbers. The ANPR system then cross-references these with databases to identify if that numberplate is associated with lost or stolen vehicles, those violating driving conditions like drink/drug driving through sobriety checkpoints or expired registration, or through sobriety checkpoints.
The range of camera detection can be up to 200 metres away from the drone itself, so the driver will not know that they have been caught until it’s too late.
The AI module that turns any drone into an ANPR Drone is available from Australian company: Aero Ranger
– Drones are becoming automated and can now patrol a regular route without human intervention.
– The range of camera detection is up to 200 metres away from the drone itself, so the driver will not know they have been caught until it’s too late.
– Drone ANPR systems work in a similar way to traditional (ground-based) ANPR.
– The range of camera detection is up to 200 metres away
The ability to patrol remote areas, low cost of deployment and the potential for drones in law enforcement is a topic that doesn’t look like it will be going away anytime soon.
