Latvia State Police
Like many other countries, Latvia has a burgeoning community of drone enthusiasts with approximately 6,000 registered pilots, an over 60% increase in just one year. However, there are even more unlicensed pilots, so Latvia faces a real challenge with drones and the risks they present to crowded areas and critical infrastructure. The State Police of Latvia needed to find an airspace security solution that would balance the freedom of the public to fly uncrewed aerial systems (UASs), while protecting citizens at large gatherings and national infrastructure facilities.
G4S was chosen by the force to implement a mobile drone detection system and provide training for officers using the solution. The global security powerhouse entered into a partnership with Dedrone, the market leader in smart airspace security. Dedrone and G4S provided the State Police of Latvia with six mobile drone detection units across Riga, to track how many drones are flying across the capital city and monitor activity close to key buildings used by the police, and local and national government officials.
Dedrone detects, tracks and identifies drones and their pilots and displays this information directly in the Emergency Operation Center (EOC) of the Latvian State Police. This comprehensive and real-time information about drone flights enables the State Police of Latvia to ensure the protection of people, property, and information from the threat of drones.
"This detection equipment is a significant addition to the State Police of Latvia's ability to effectively control the traffic of Uncrewed Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). The first tests with Dedrone have proven that it's of a high quality; it will undoubtedly improve our ability to strengthen Latvia’s internal national security.” said State Police of Latvia representative with responsibility for Uncrewed Aerial Systems (UAS) and air navigation, Māris Vitkovski.
… make it possible to determine the height, route and, most importantly, the location of a drone’s remote pilot, which is essential for detecting any potential law-breaking. We will use Dedrone to ensure public safety, including during public events, in order to prevent violations, including those that may threaten the safety of the public.
Māris Vitkovski, Representative of the State Police of Latvia responsible for Uncrewed Aerial Systems (UAS) and Air Navigation