MOSSEL BAY NEWS - Parallax Aero's SkyGrid, a rapid-response drone security and aerial intelligence network, was recently launched at the Mossel Bay Joint Operation Centre (JOC).

At the launch, the JOC NPC and Parallax Aero also signed a memorandum of understanding and co-operation detailing how these two entities will work together in future. 

As part of the agreement, Parallax has a working station inside the JOC. Parallax's founder, Carel Kuun, delivered a presentation on how SkyGrid works and how the JOC will benefit from its operations.

SkyGrid places a permanently docked drone in your coverage area, which is dispatched on request, and streams live aerial video to a control room while a ground team is still on the way. There is currently one node in the Diaz area at Parallax's office, with a drone that covers a radius of about 5km and uses a thermal camera. The node might move later, for example, to the JOC, and more nodes might be added as the network expands.

Kuun said when the SkyGrid system receives a call-out for a drone, the drone can be airborne within 20 seconds and is expected to reach a scene roughly 3-5 minutes later.

He further explained that SkyGrid would provide the JOC with live aerial footage for situations like fires, storms, floods, road accidents, search-and-rescue, public safety and large events. Flights are logged, and footage is handled in line with the Protection of Personal Information Act.

The current agreement allows for 10 free public safety emergency response flights per node per month. 

Further flights and non-emergency work will be handled in accordance with the Municipal Finance Management Act and Mossel Bay Municipality's supply chain management processes.

At the launch, Cllr Leon van Dyk, the portfolio chairperson for community safety, highlighted the importance of aerial support inside the JOC, while Mayor Dirk Kotzé emphasised the importance of public-private partnerships like these. 

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