Nederburg Wine Estate has introduced aerial surveillance using docked drones as part of its ongoing property management and asset protection efforts.
The service is provided by 24/7 Drone Force, whose docked drone technology enables remote surveillance through preprogrammed missions monitored by licensed Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) remote pilot operators at a central command centre.
“Nederburg uses drones as part of its estate security measures to help monitor the property and protect equipment and assets,” the estate said. “While occasional petty crime is a consideration, the approach is proactive, supporting our security team in keeping watch over an extensive estate.”
According to 24/7 Drone Force’s website, its docked drone solution uses unmanned aircraft systems equipped with docking stations that allow the drones to land, recharge and take off automatically. The system is designed for continuous remote operations, day or night, in varying weather conditions within operational limitations.
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The drones are programmed to conduct missions and are controlled and monitored remotely by licensed operators at a central command centre, where personnel can oversee multiple sites. The permanently stationed docking unit eliminates the need for travel and set-up before operations, while the drones can be launched in approximately two minutes.
The technology has an operational radius of up to 5 km from its base station and a charging time of approximately 25 minutes. Charging can be interrupted when necessary to accommodate a Drone First Response (DFR) deployment.
Drones include various features
Thermal camera technology enables low-light and night operations, while the system can provide a live video stream to first responders. It is also compatible with artificial intelligence (AI) for vehicle and human detection.
24/7 Drone Force states its docked drone solutions can be integrated with third-party software platforms, allowing customers to connect the technology to their existing security systems.
Other features include the ability to operate in adverse weather conditions within limitations, survey-grade capabilities and a design intended to reduce operator fatigue by allowing pilots to work from a protected environment. The docking station can also be mounted on a customised off-grid trailer for isolated or temporary operations.
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The estate highlighted that the aerial technology provides an additional layer of oversight while operating within legal boundaries.
“As many South African businesses and households will appreciate, being mindful of security and taking sensible precautions is part of looking after a property responsibly. The drones provide an additional tool to help us do that, with operations conducted in accordance with all applicable South African legal and aviation requirements. Only Nederburg’s own premises is included in the surveillance,” the estate added.
For years the theft of fresh produce has been a problem in Paarl, costing farmers in the area thousands of rands. An incident that caused a great stir in 2021 occurred when a local farmer shot and killed an alleged fruit thief. Now, JT Basson and John Woest stand accuse of the murder of Chatwell Rodgers (40) in the Western Cape High Court.
