Surveillance and protection of critical infrastructure with Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

The growing intricacy and magnitude of critical infrastructure systems necessitate the implementation of suitable surveillance and protection measures. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) have emerged as an optimal technology for bolstering these infrastructures’ security and operational efficacy. This article examines the use of UAVs of various types for surveillance and protection of critical infrastructure, the possible use of sensors to increase operational awareness, the limitations and restrictions associated with their use. Furthermore, this article will present the advantages of using such a system over a classic human-resource-based security system. Finally, the discussion turned to the potential of combining AI with UAVs and the feasibility of implementing such a combination in the surveillance and protection of critical infrastructure. The discussion noted that using UAVs offers unparalleled advantages in real-time monitoring, rapid response, and adaptability to different environments. However, the most effective and still indispensable surveillance method seems to be combining the classical model using humans for surveillance with a system based on UAVs.