Three drones linked to a police car and a main command centre will be used to warn of tailbacks, accidents and nab motorists who don’t pay parking fees.
The system was used during the recent National Day celebrations to monitor traffic flow and accidents by the Department of Traffic.
Computers fitted into an off-road pickup truck analyse the data and video sent back from the drones that are manned by officers in a Ford F150 Lariat FX4 when it is deployed to busy intersections. The feed is simultaneously transmitted to the capital’s main control room.
Licence plates of parked vehicles are also scanned to check if parking fees are paid with instant fines issued to motorists who violate parking rules.
“In some places we don’t have coverage of CCTV cameras so we use drones to support us, with live streaming to the control room,” said Sultan Haimd Al Menhali, senior traffic system engineer with the Department of Transport, speaking at the Gulf Traffic conference in Dubai on Monday.
“It is like a small operation room inside the car. We go on the spot near junctions for traffic count and study of traffic management in peak hours.
"It is available 24 hours so we do planned work like traffic studies or monitoring traffic flow during events, check if parking fees are being paid and also unplanned work like accidents where the drones show full 360-degree coverage. Then the control room knows what action to take and where.”
Called ‘Al Garnas’, to describe young falcons with excellent vision to spot prey from the skies, the smart system was launched in September and will be used during New Year’s celebrations in the capital.
Another system called ‘Bat radar’ is a small camera that will be fitted next year on the yellow and red ‘Stop’ sign that school buses use to warn vehicles to keep a safe distance.
Developed by the Dubai Police, the camera will instantly transmit data and video to the control room about vehicles that get too close to the school bus, speed past ignoring the ‘stop’ signal, said Mohammed Akil, an officer with the Dubai Police traffic department.
The technology will later be used on fences in dangerous zones to spot vehicles that use the hard shoulder.
A similar system is being used to pinpoint vehicles that take the disabled parking slots in malls and shopping centres.
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NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
More on animal trafficking
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
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Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
'Gold'
Director:Anthony Hayes
Stars:Zaf Efron, Anthony Hayes
Rating:3/5
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20M3%20MACBOOK%20AIR%20(13%22)
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Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
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Find the right policy for you
Don’t wait until the week you fly to sign up for insurance – get it when you book your trip. Insurance covers you for cancellation and anything else that can go wrong before you leave.
Some insurers, such as World Nomads, allow you to book once you are travelling – but, as Mr Mohammed found out, pre-existing medical conditions are not covered.
Check your credit card before booking insurance to see if you have any travel insurance as a benefit – most UAE banks, such as Emirates NBD, First Abu Dhabi Bank and Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, have cards that throw in insurance as part of their package. But read the fine print – they may only cover emergencies while you’re travelling, not cancellation before a trip.
Pre-existing medical conditions such as a heart condition, diabetes, epilepsy and even asthma may not be included as standard. Again, check the terms, exclusions and limitations of any insurance carefully.
If you want trip cancellation or curtailment, baggage loss or delay covered, you may need a higher-grade plan, says Ambareen Musa of Souqalmal.com. Decide how much coverage you need for emergency medical expenses or personal liability. Premium insurance packages give up to $1 million (Dh3.7m) in each category, Ms Musa adds.
Don’t wait for days to call your insurer if you need to make a claim. You may be required to notify them within 72 hours. Gather together all receipts, emails and reports to prove that you paid for something, that you didn’t use it and that you did not get reimbursed.
Finally, consider optional extras you may need, says Sarah Pickford of Travel Counsellors, such as a winter sports holiday. Also ensure all individuals can travel independently on that cover, she adds. And remember: “Cheap isn’t necessarily best.”
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Meatless Days
Sara Suleri, with an introduction by Kamila Shamsie
Penguin
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo
Power: 240hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 390Nm at 3,000rpm
Transmission: eight-speed auto
Price: from Dh122,745
On sale: now
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million