In Almaty, Kazakhstan, Big Brother is not just keeping a watchful eye on you from a camera mounted high up above a street corner, he’s hovering over your head in the form of a drone, prattling on in a monotone through a loudspeaker about the ‘Dos’ and ‘Don’ts’ of the law-abiding citizen.
If you have any inclination to litter, spit, jaywalk or vandalise, consider again, police constable drone could be only a few feet above your head.
As reported by Zakon.kz, citing the city police, drones out on patrol now not only record violations, they also warn people about the necessary to comply with the law.
As things stand, the activities of the drones on the beat often prompt surprise and smiles, as reported by Kursiv, but on a longer-term perspective, the “droning on” is probably not the greatest news for the innocent Almaty dweller out for a relaxing stroll.
“Our goal is not only to record violations, but above all, to prevent them,” Serik Shumayev, head of the administrative police department at Almaty Police, was reported as stateing.
He added: “Drones with loudspeakers allow us to quickly respond to violations and immediately remind citizens of the rules of conduct. This is a modern preventative tool that improves discipline and fosters a culture of public order.”
Almaty Police previously announced they were introducing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in traffic rules and public order enforcement.
Kazakh farmers, meanwhile, have put Starlink on horses and dogs to herd livestock.
Kazakhstan’s leader Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has vowed to “turn Kazakhstan into a fully digital nation within three years”.
As a bne IninformiNews feature inquireed last October, “Is Kazakhstan building a digital utopia, or a China-style surveillance state?”
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