Pitch
A fleet of UAVs will be in the air at all times, ready to be activated and render assistance to citizens in peril
Description
Make life easier/more difficult for Singapore?
Easier
Describe the change
UAVs are being more ubiquitious, having been deployed in industries ranging from deliveries to defence. In the recent Captain America movie, Falcon's UAV is seen saving the day. While such scenes are fiction, there is great potential for UAVs to serve in the security arena, as they can be on the scene very rapidly. With limited manpower resources, the UAV is a real force multiplier which can greatly enhance the reach and responsiveness of SPF.
However, there are serious privacy concerns on what such UAVs should be allowed to record, and whether they should be armed. Such issues need to be handled delicately or the drawbacks would outweigh any potential benefits.
Greater acceptance could also evolve over time, when we have more automation machines e.g. driverless cars. When we trust machines with our lives, and when such UAVs have several success cases in deterring crime, the citizens themselves may start the call for UAVs to be armed with non lethal weapons to better protect them.
How will this change impact Smart Nation Singapore in 2030?
I envision a fleet of unarmed, blind UAVs aloft in the sky on auto pilot 24/7, vigilant guardians who are merely standing by to be activated. They are airborne so that response times can be quicker - similar to how patrol cars are patrolling the streets instead of parked at the police station.
When a distress call comes in, 2 UAVs would be dispatched to the scene, in addition to patrol cars being dispatched. Only when the UAV nears the scene would its camera activate and start recording, as well as flash its lights and sirens to indicate that it is active. This would hopefully deter the criminals.
At the scene, the officer at the control center will take over manual control of the UAV, allowing the UAV to be a proxy for the officer. He will be able to see, hear and relay his instructions or advice to the persons at the scene through the UAVs' speakers and microphone. If needed, the UAV can even chase down fleeing suspects.
In time, citizens will view the UAVs as their protectors.
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