The Guardia Civil is keeping a watchful eye on drivers in Mallorca by land and air.
A few months ago it incorporated two of the latest generation Thyra V109 quadcopters with the sole aim of ‘hunting down’ dangerous drivers.
The ‘Mini Pegasus’, as they are popularly known, weigh nine kilos and measure a mere 71 centimetres.
They have become the Guardia Civil’s true guardians of the air and, from now on, a nightmare drivers in Mallorca.
The state-of-the-art drones that can fly up to 120 metres high and are equipped with high-definition cameras that detect the most serious traffic offences. But the question on every driver’s mind is: Where are the drones? Where are they located?
One of the flight paths for these aircraft is the MA-11, the Soller road. The stretch between Son Sardina, Palmanyola and Bunyola is specially controlled.
Reckless motorcyclists who race illegally on the MA-10, the Serra road, are also in the sights of the ‘Mini Pegasus’.
The surveillance points continue on the MA-1110, the Valldemossa road, the MA-4023, the road between Manacor and Porto Cristo and the MA-5020, from Llucmajor to Porreres.
Finally, on the MA-13, the Inca motorway, just as it passes through the access to the Son Castelló industrial estate in Palma, the aircraft monitors and penalises inappropriate use of the hard shoulders and changes of direction.
All of this, in addition to monitoring the use of mobile phones at the wheel.
The fines range from 500 to 200 euros, and the letter sent to those fined include a video evidence.
The two Thyra V109 quadcopters are electrically propelled, made of carbon fibre to be lighter and tougher, and are made in Spain.
They are equipped with a Sony camera with a 30x optical zoom and a 12x digital zoom. The lenses can capture images of vehicles 5 kilometres away and photograph car interiors in high definition at 1,000 metres.
The EVAT (Airborne Traffic Surveillance Teams) are in charge of operating these modern aerial devices. There are seven in Spain, one of them based in Palma. They have had to pass a specific course to be able to control the drones. The two drones are moved in traffic vans and transported to a pre-designated area.
No comments
To be able to write a comment, you have to be registered and logged in
Currently there are no comments.