A traffic cop deploys a drone to monitor city traffic.
Credit: DH PHOTO/PUSHKAR V
Bengaluru: Bengaluru city has thousands of surveillance cameras and AI-powered traffic cameras to monitor traffic flow and capture violations. However, their reach remains limited, as the footage is captured and analysed at eye level. The introduction of 10 drones by the traffic police has changed this.
Designed to provide aerial oversight during peak congestion hours, the Visual Aerial Network for Knowledgeable Insights — or VANKi, as it is called by the police — comprises 10 drones used to monitor traffic across major roads and junctions in the city.
The drones offer a bird’s-eye view to help understand the factors affecting daily vehicular movement. The project was first tested in June 2023 at Hebbal and Marathahalli junctions and was officially launched in January 2024. Five of the ten drones were procured under the Safe City Project.
The 10 drones are distributed across police subdivisions — North, Northeast, Central, Southeast, South, East, West, Whitefield, HSR Layout, and Vijayanagar. Each drone covers several junctions and key roads within its assigned area.
For example, in the Central subdivision, the drone operator monitors locations such as Coffee Board,
Anil Kumble Circle, Police Corner, Town Hall Junction, Mehkri Circle, Basaveshwara Circle, and Lalbagh Main Gate.
Drones are used during peak hours and major city events, such as cricket matches, to provide real-time insights into traffic movement, explains M N Anucheth, Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic), Bengaluru. “We use these drones to monitor peak hour traffic movement and identify any obstructions to traffic flow. Roads around protests, processions, and other events can also be monitored through the drones, which helps us understand how they will impact traffic,” he says.
Although these drones are not currently used to enforce traffic rules, they are valuable in understanding traffic patterns at key junctions and roads. “This also helps them direct police personnel to the exact spot of an obstruction such as a vehicle breakdown or an accident that might be causing a traffic jam,” adds Anucheth.
During IPL matches, for instance, the traffic police officer operating the drone in the Central subdivision uses it to assess traffic build-up around M Chinnaswamy Stadium. “Roads around the stadium become waterlogged (when it rains). The drone helps us understand where these spots are and accordingly direct traffic to prevent a pile-up,” says the drone operator at Basaveshwara Circle, who wished not to be named.
Licence to fly
The drones can fly up to 1.5 km away from the pilot and reach a maximum altitude of 120 metres. This aerial range is especially useful for assessing the extent and cause of traffic congestion from a distance. However, the drones cannot be flown during rainfall, as they are not waterproof.
Each drone is handled by two trained police personnel. Basic training is conducted at the City Armed Reserve Headquarters, after which the officers receive their operating licences. The drones are operated in two shifts: 8 am to 11 am and 4 pm to 7 pm. They are also capable of recording footage for later analysis.
Where does the data go?
Currently, drone footage is live-streamed to the Traffic Management Centre to help coordinate ground-level responses. Police officers on-site manually log incidents observed via the drones using the ASTraM (Actionable Intelligence for Sustainable Traffic Management) app on their phones.
AI algorithms are now being developed to automate detection of traffic obstructions, such as waterlogging or vehicle breakdowns. This system — Artificial Intelligence System Harnessing Wisdom, Analytics, Resourcefulness, Yield and Adaptability — will analyse traffic by calculating vehicle density, identifying hazards, and assessing pedestrian behaviour. It will also flag construction activity and illegal parking that obstruct traffic flow.
For example, if there is a long pile-up at Hebbal Junction, the drone can automatically alert officers if there’s been a crash or a breakdown, enabling them to deploy manpower quickly and clear the jam.
Police are also working on machine learning models that can simulate how traffic flow would change if certain roads were closed.
Highlights - Key road stretches under drone surveillance SP Road Jn Nice Road Jn Kimco Jn, Mysuru Road Basaveshwara Circle Mehkri Circle Cauvery Theatre Jn Queens Circle MG Road Freedom Park BGS flyover Magadi Main Road Gali Anjaneya Temple junction Nayandahalli junction Hoodi Jn Varthur Kodi Binny Mill Road
Cut-off box - At a glance 10 drones across 10 police sub-divisions Covering major junctions and road stretches across the city A drone’s maximum altitude: 120 metres maximum distance: 1.5 km. AI software underway to detect anomalies and traffic density automatically