Dubai — Dubai Police has used the backdrop of the region’s largest technology event, Gitex being currently held at the Dubai World Trade Center from October 8-12, 2017, to unveil its futuristic tech marvels for fighting crime and catch hold of traffic offenders.

A hoverbike capable of flying five meters (16 feet) above the ground, a smart motorbike and a robotic car prototype, were the three exhibits which caught the visitors by surprise.

The hoverbike, with four large propellers flank its corners, has been described as a cross between a drone and a motorcycle, and can carry a police officer or operate while being controlled remotely. It can fly for up to 25 minutes with a full battery charge or almost an hour using fuel, with speeds of up to 70 kph (43mph) and carry up to 300kg (47 stone) of weight.

The vehicle was co-developed with Russian drone manufacturer Hoversurf and it can be possibly operationalized by 2020.

The smart motorcycle, displayed with Dubai Police’s green and white livery, is a carbon fiber-plated bike equipped with eight cameras which take 360-degree images which are directly transmitted to the operating room. The electric bike boasts a top speed of 200kmh and on a single charge can run for eight hours.

The third exhibit was a self-driving police vehicle which will record and transmit live footage from Dubai’s streets to the operating room. The vehicle also carries a drone which can follow suspects who try to escape, and can be used especially in inaccessible areas.

Japanese company Mikasa is responsible for producing the car — which can hit a top speed of 200kph (124mph).

UK’s Mirror, reporting the event, quoted a police officer as saying that the robotic car can “recognize people in any area and identify suspicious objects and can track suspects.”

“It has a drone and the user needs to access the car through fingerprint. It will be deployed at tourist destinations in Dubai. It has cameras and will be linked to the command room.” — Al Arabiya English