Municipalities expand use of drone technology for safety and environment

Municipalities in New Zealand and South Africa are expanding the integration of drone technology to enhance public services and safety.

Auckland Council has increased its drone operations to 18 Civil Aviation Authority-certified pilots across seven business units. The council has appointed a Chief Pilot for Drone Operations to oversee unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) activities. These tools are being used for environmental management, including monitoring native wildlife, detecting invasive plants, and conducting kauri dieback surveillance. The council expects three additional departments to adopt the technology in the upcoming financial year.

In Cape Town, the city is integrating drone feeds into a broader public-safety intelligence network. This system combines drone data with CCTV, body-worn cameras, and automatic number-plate readers to create a real-time operational picture. During the 2025-26 financial year, the city conducted 3,643 drone flights, focusing on land-invasion hotspots, search and rescue, fire monitoring, and crowd control. The goal is to transform collected data into actionable decisions to improve emergency and policing outcomes.