St. Gallen police deploy drones for traffic enforcement

Police in the Swiss canton of St. Gallen have implemented a new traffic enforcement method using drones to monitor speeding and dangerous driving. The technology is deployed on specific routes, such as the mountain pass between Mühlrüti and Hulftegg, where dangerous driving has been reported.

Officers use aerial footage to calculate average vehicle speeds by measuring the distance traveled over a specific period. This method aims to target speeding motorists, illegal overtaking, and unauthorized car racing. Since the implementation of this method in 2026, St. Gallen police have conducted six drone operations, resulting in the identification of two speeding offenses.

While the technology is active in Switzerland, authorities in the neighboring Austrian state of Vorarlberg stated that current laws do not permit similar drone-based speed enforcement.