DMP to Deploy Drone Surveillance for Dhaka Traffic

Augmenting its artificial intelligence (AI) signaling infrastructure, the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) is preparing to launch aerial drone surveillance across major road networks and elevated corridors. The high-altitude monitoring system aims to provide live situational awareness, pinpoint localized gridlocks, and streamline traffic law enforcement across Dhaka. Technical training on drone piloting, transmission management, and maintenance has already commenced for traffic officers, with pilot deployments anticipated by late September 2026.

According to DMP Traffic Division sources, the unmanned aerial systems will monitor critical bottlenecks across highways, flyovers, and the elevated expressway. Elevated structures frequently suffer from blind spots during peak congestion, delaying physical intervention; real-time aerial feeds will allow command hubs to identify root causes swiftly and coordinate ground personnel via directional radio directives.

Technical specifications indicate that the surveillance drones will carry specialized acoustic loudspeakers to issue direct voice warnings to drivers blocking traffic lanes. Moving forward, the department intends to integrate automated number plate recognition (ANPR) systems with thermal and optical camera feeds to initiate video-verified prosecutions.

Speaking on the deployment, DMP Additional Commissioner (Traffic) Md. Anisur Rahman noted that while aerial monitoring is standard protocol in developed transportation ecosystems, it introduces a modernized workflow for Bangladesh. The division is currently conducting pilot assessments with specialized drones. He emphasized that sustained deployment demands robust, internet-enabled cloud server infrastructure to handle high-bandwidth data transfers.

Departmental sources clarified that citations generated from drone footage will not be fully automated at this stage. Instead, command officers will systematically evaluate recorded evidentiary footage to eliminate false detections and safeguard motorists against unjust penalties, underscoring that civic compliance remains the primary metric over prosecution volumes.

Capacity-building modules have already trained officers from the Tejgaon and Uttara traffic divisions, with remaining zones undergoing phased flight training. The initiative follows DMP’s deployment of 15 automated AI-enabled traffic control signals operational between Shahbagh and Lake Road.
//DBTech/BTOS/SNAP/SMI//