Faced with the increase in fatal accidents on Cameroonian roads, the National Gendarmerie has decided to integrate drones into its road surveillance system.
From October 11 to 13, 2024, a team of Information and Communication Systems (CIS) specialists was mobilized on the Yaoundé-Bafia-Makénéné axis, on national road No. 4, to experiment with this new technological equipment. These latest-generation drones support traditional surveillance methods, such as the Command Car, a vehicle equipped with satellite communication systems and surveillance cameras.
These drones were used to carry out aerial surveillance, targeting the most frequent traffic violations, including crossing a continuous line and dangerous overtaking maneuvers. “These tools equipped with high-definition cameras were able to take images of offenders, and through high-resolution videos, the reading of the registrations of the vehicles in violation was made possible. Indeed, thanks to their large surveillance range of more than 3 kilometers, these drones allowed for delayed and secure arrests of irresponsible drivers,” the gendarmerie specified.
The results of this experimental phase were encouraging: around thirty offenses detected in just three days, we learned. Building on this success, the gendarmerie announced that the drones will now be deployed on all major roads in the country as part of the fourth generation of its operation to control, monitor and repress road traffic offenses. The problem of road accidents remains a major concern in Cameroon, causing thousands of deaths and injuries each year. In 2019, the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) reported an average of 16,583 accidents and 1,500 deaths per year, leaving families in mourning. The World Health Organization (WHO) even estimates that this figure could exceed 6,000 deaths.
SBBC