The Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG) has assigned Seoul Hangang Project Headquarters to launch high-performance drones equipped with automatic flight and artificial intelligence technology to prevent potential accidents in advance and safeguard citizens visiting Hangang Park areas.

The headquarters noted that this year a slew of big events and overcrowded people are expected followed by the alleviation of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. Thus, it stressed the necessity of thorough safety management by monitoring numerous danger zones and overall situations swiftly. However, many pointed out difficulties of foot patrol around ecological parks and wetlands. In case of a riverside area – where it is exposed to a high danger – installation of CCTV nearby is almost impossible and generation of blind sides are highly likely, causing limits to accident prevention.

In response, the headquarters is planning to make use of drones to patrol and shore up safety measures around overcrowded areas, areas vulnerable for foot patrol activities, and dangerous zones near riverside.

For instance, in case of big events like a firework festival, the headquarters will take advantage of mobile drones to monitor the event and the area nearby. As for ecological parks and riverside areas, it will harness the drones to control safety around such places.

The headquarters attempts to test drone’s automatic flight after injecting flight route memory in advance and optimize sensor data-based artificial intelligence object recognition technology in order to make drone’s automatic alarm system in operation when it detects abnormalities. Footage taken from camera installed in drones will be sent to computers in a street patrol team office so that officials can monitor the situation in real time.

Seoul said it vows to do its utmost to prevent accidents from a host of danger zones and swiftly safeguard citizens by using high-powered drones as many areas are expected to be congested with people during events scheduled this year.