14 DAY TRIAL // We've seen a good number of flying drones news, and information on other types of robots, but practical applications have been rather scarce in comparison. Japanese company Secom means to change this though. Secom will be one of several security firms from Japan that will provide things besides human manpower when taking up security deals.
While bodyguards and security guards will definitely remain part of the deal, there will be an extra resource during rapid intervention operations.
Essentially, for those with enough money, Secom will have flying drones on hand for when break-ins or other crimes are detected.
The flying drones have the advantage of a wider field of view, easy travel and mid-to-long-range sight.
Cameras will be installed on the things, obviously, both for orientation and for recording felonies as they occur.
A built-in laser will be part of the package as well, for motion tracking. Since the drones are bound to be at least semi-automatic, they need this in order to keep track of their target.
The only thing the flying machines won't be able to do is actually catch the perpetrators. As useful as the idea of flying security “guards” is, the drones aren't exactly the sturdiest devices, so they will need to keep a safe distance from suspects.
This is about as much information as anyone knows at the moment. Secom might have released more if it had any impact on the present, but the first drones won't be out before 2014.
Then again, up until a few of years ago, there wouldn't have been many people willing to believe robotics would evolve quickly enough to make such applications feasible.
That said, there is a video of the Secom security drone in action here. Should another security firm follow Secom's lead, other such footage will make its way to the Internet.