Dubai cops training officers on flying bikes to fight against crime
While its common for police forces globally to try and utilize the latest technologies to help the fight against crime, Dubai’s finest have raised more than a few eyebrows with their latest efforts.
In a tweet recently, Dubai Police revealed that hoverbike training has already begun for some of its officers.
The hoverbike known as an eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing) vehicle, runs on four upward-facing propellors that extend out from the main, motorbike-like cockpit that the pilot sits on.
However, police won’t be out on lengthy patrols with this new gadget. Hoversurf says its hoverbike has a pilot flight time of just 10 to 25 minutes before needing 2.5 hours to recharge and is capable of speeds up to 96 km/h. Its 30-kW motors and 3-bladed carbon-fibre propellers let the driver comfortably hover around 5 metres above the ground.
Brigadier Khalid Alrazooqi, general director of the Dubai Police’s artificial intelligence department told US broadcaster CNN that the eVTOL would be used as a first responder unit in hard-to-reach areas.
“Currently we have two crews already training (to pilot the hoverbike) and we’re increasing the number,” said Alrazooqi.
Despite this, you will still have to wait a little while longer before you see such a vehicle patrolling your streets anytime soon, with Dubai Police aiming to have the eVTOL hoverbikes in action by 2020.
