Reasons you need to afford drone security

Our country has faced significant challenges in recent times. Covid-19 Lockdown itself and the compounding effects of rising unemployment and crime stats are eyewatering. People, property, and high value assets must be protected despite the perceived unaffordable cost. Here we will discuss the reasons you need to afford drone security.

So what are the reasons you need to afford drone security?

The application of drones in security creates an additional layer of defense to an already existing security operation. In its most basic form, security at a residential estate (or any commercial site for that matter), is a boom operator. More sophisticated security operations have multiple layers of defense in place, which may include electrified perimeter fencing, CCTV, static thermal cameras, motion sensors and armed response teams. The one element which is a constant as part of most security operations is the security guard. And at night specifically, the guard with a torch patrolling the perimeter fence.

The criminal targeting high value assets is increasing in sophistication. The weakest link in any existing layer of defense is the guard with the torch. Adding aerial drone security to the operation creates an air force for the security team on the ground. A guard patrols a perimeter fence on foot at approximately 5km per hour and will not see beyond a 6ft – 8ft wall. A drone on the other hand operates at say 30km per hour. It therefore covers more of the site in a much shorter amount of time. It also has an aerial vantage point with a much wider angle of view to see potential untoward activity before it has even taken place.

Protect high value assets and your security guards

The drone is the carrier for the sensor. Live footage is monitored at the remote pilot station or streamed into a control room. Importantly, close integration with the ground security team and the drone crew is essential. The armed response team is deployed while the drone ‘hangs’ over any activity in question. That, while the observed activity is being monitored from the air and communicated to the responding team.

Security teams responding to a fence alarm or a triggered static camera are often reported as going in blind. They operate in the dark with no knowledge of the potential danger facing them. With increasingly sophisticated criminal tactics, you want to keep the guard on the ground out of harm’s way. The right course of action can be decisioned as the situation is assessed.

The eyes in the sky create the additional vantage point keeping the response team safer. You also get to understand the criminal’s modus operandi (observing where their entry and escape routes are). There are also some unexpected benefits. The security companies themselves regularly ask if the drone can be used to monitor their own security guards. This one is surprising, but again highlights the weakest link element.

Stay ahead of your competitors

From the position of a residential estate manager or a security manager of a commercial site, it is beneficial to be ahead of the game with the latest technology and to cut and prevent crime. With the right business case, budgets could be stretched. The business case is, amongst others, long term maintained or increased property prices and higher rental occupancy rates in the case of proven lower crime activity.
From the perspective of the security company adding the drone service on top of an existing as-is security operation, would make the service too expensive for the client.

So, this is where being somewhat creative plays a part. Instead of the threat of workforce displacement as a result of drones eliminating the human element, we flipped the delivery model on its head. Instead of bringing in a separate drone crew which delivers the service over and above the security company, the security company is enabled to identify key individuals in their teams to be re skilled and up skilled. Their own team becomes the drone crew. That way the workforce displacement is addressed, security personnel is retained and up skilled and perhaps the entire workforce moves up the ranks. The financial model is of course still challenged, however now it’s much more workable.

That said, the cost/benefit consideration needs to outweigh the profit-only approach. Crime is not going to disappear in this country any time soon. The end client needs to know that their best interests are being taken seriously.

To summarise the reasons you need to afford drone security

1. Adds a layer of defense by putting eyes in the sky
2. Keeps you steps ahead of the criminal
3. Protects your security personnel
4. Gets you ahead of your competition

Drones will not eradicate the need for humans entirely, however drone technology adds a layer of invaluable efficiency and effectiveness. This is a journey worth embarking on. Early adopters embracing drone technology are seeing the benefits. Security patrols are done quicker and more effectively with drones. We can report on reductions in untoward and suspicious activity and even up to100% drop in crime incidents. For this reason, residents are feeling more secure knowing drones are in the air around their estate.

Whilst we all know drones are here to stay, there is still some expectation management and education to do. Some boldness needs to be used to do the cost, risk and reward calculation. How can one compare cost and profit to securing your estate or commercial site effectively?

So now you know the reasons you need to afford drone security. Be bold, embrace the technology and stay ahead of the criminals and your competitors.

For more details on how a drone security programme would work for you, email or see Drone Guards.

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