SINGAPORE: The Singapore Police Force (SPF) will be deploying multiple drones to monitor crowd numbers in real-time at the Marina Bay Singapore Countdown 2025. 

Held from Dec 31 to the early hours of Jan 1, 2025, the countdown is part of a series of events celebrating Singapore's 60 years of independence. Besides the countdown at the Marina Bay area, residents will be able to take part in a variety of programmes at 17 heartland sites.

The Marina Bay area typically saw about 500,000 people at past countdown celebrations, a spokesperson from the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) said in response to CNA's queries. 

"With other celebrations this year, we expect the number in Marina Bay to reduce," URA added.

However, the police are expecting large crowds to join in the festivities around the Marina Bay area.

SPF said on Saturday (Dec 28) that they will be using drones equipped with spotlights, blinkers and speakers to enhance visibility and allow them to broadcast public safety messages. 

The Home Team Science and Technology Agency (HTX) worked with the police to install a video analytics tool known as the Q-Crowd Counter, which uses artificial intelligence (AI) and computer vision techniques to determine crowd numbers within seconds.

Members of the media were given a demonstration on Thursday of how the drone works. Two police officers flew the drone over the Marina Bay area.

Once the unmanned aircraft was stabilised, it took about two to five seconds to count the number of people detected in each video frame. 

The drone has an accuracy of 90 per cent during the day and 80 per cent at night for live crowd counting.

As the police officers manoeuvred the drone, the number of people detected in the subsequent frame was added to the first to give a total sum. 

The images captured by the drone were then stitched together, providing data in the form of points for objects and heat maps.

This information will enable the police to make informed decisions to prevent potential overcrowding incidents, said SPF. 

The data gathered will also be used to improve the Crowd@MarinaBay portal to provide updates on crowd levels and closed areas around Marina Bay. 

The portal has been used for large, crowded events at Marina Bay since the 2022 National Day Parade.

The police will also make use of other crowd management measures during the countdown, such as the Mobicam.

The Mobicam is a camera that is used to monitor crowds. 

It is equipped with a blinker, speakers and an electronic sign to enable officers at the Police Command Centre to broadcast both audio advisories and visual messages to members of the public. They can also be used to provide directions.

LED-backed signs will also be put up to help members of the public find directions to transport nodes. These signs have an illuminated backing and LED arrows for better visibility at night and from a distance. 

In addition, LED lights will be used on pavements to enhance the visibility of walking paths at night.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner of Police Wong Keng Hoe told reporters that the countdown is an "iconic event".

DAC Wong, who is commander of the Central Police Division, said the unmanned aerial vehicles, live cameras and illuminated signs have proven to be "very effective". 

During the celebrations, members of the public can expect delays in travelling time, train bypasses at crowded MRT stations and area closures to prevent overcapacity. 

He reminded visitors to remain patient and follow the instructions of the police and other security officers.