The employment of unmanned aerial vehicles, also known as UAVs, is expanding rapidly across various civil application areas. Some of these domains include real-time tracking, the provision of wireless coverage, sensing, searches and rescue, the delivery of goods, safety and surveillance, security, and safety checks of engineering structures. Smart UAVs represent the next technology revolution in UAV technology. They promise to provide new possibilities in various applications, notably lower risk and costs for civil infrastructure. The military has traditionally used unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in countries such as the United Kingdom or the United States to partake in military and dangerous operations. The application and usage of these UAVs have become more commercial. Civilians can easily buy UAVs, commonly known as drones, from online platforms or shops. The main aim of this study is to review selected publications presenting previous efforts on using Civilian Drones in Safety applications. The study was accomplished using a systematic review research approach reviewing 45 publications. Drones have become more common, and it is crucial to understand how they work, especially since they entered the civilian domain. The research shows how civilian drones have been used in numerous safety applications, such as security cameras videotaping a house to ensure its safety.

Drones offer significant safety and security advantages by enhancing situational awareness across various fields. However, realizing these benefits hinges on well-designed drone systems. This study builds upon previous research on drone deployment challenges and proposes the Drone Safety and Security Surveillance System (D4S). D4S aims to standardize similar drone-based systems, enhancing situational awareness and supporting decision-making processes. While initially tailored for safety and security, D4S holds potential for broader applications. Two system architectures have been proposed and evaluated with positive feedback from safety and security professionals. D4S has the potential to revolutionize safety practices, improve situational awareness, and facilitate timely decision making in critical scenarios.

Mega sports events may encounter safety and security challenges related to risk management issues such as overcrowding, disorderly behavior, assaults, and security breaches. An incident during the Champions League Final in France in 2022 serves as an example of such challenges. Therefore, this study focuses specifically on the Champions League Final in France, 2022, and presents a situational scenario analysis for safety and security professionals. The objective is to enhance situational awareness and improve risk management strategies for similar events. The study commences by investigating the awareness among security and safety professionals regarding the potential consequences of mega sporting events, utilizing a post-hoc damage evaluation of France ’22. It then compares the effectiveness of fixed and drone cameras in surveillance imaging, aiming to identify ways to enhance situational analysis for improved risk management. The findings indicate that safety and security professionals acknowledged the negative outcomes of adverse events and demonstrated higher situational awareness when using drone surveillance as opposed to relying solely on fixed cameras. They also expressed positive attitudes towards the adoption of surveillance for mega sporting events. Moreover, the study introduces a model for drone surveillance scenario analysis, designed for dynamic decision-making. This model has been developed and aligned to effectively integrate drone surveillance and enhance situational awareness, not only for mega sports events but also for similar applications in various contexts. This research contributes to the understanding of risk management and situational awareness in the realm of mega sports events. It underscores the significance of drone surveillance and proposes strategies to enhance security professionals’ ability to respond effectively to potential threats, ensuring the safety of participants and spectators.

Drone deployment in Qatar has been lagging behind that in other countries due to a wide range of reported challenges. This study developed a framework to address these operational gaps and serve as a roadmap for different stakeholders to enable drone applications for successful, safe, accountable and sustainable development. Moreover, the framework could help overcome key challenges and lay the groundwork for addressing other challenges facing UAV deployment in Qatar, thereby enabling Qatar to join the global efforts in this technological evolution. The framework was based on an analysis of the available data from previous guidelines for UAV operation and the identification of the challenges facing drone deployment in Qatar. The proposed framework was evaluated through interviews with key stakeholders in the Qatari drone steering committee. The outcomes from this evaluation supported the implementation of the framework with minor amendments and are ready to be put into practice by policymakers. In addition, it could be helpful for Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and other countries in the region to consider this framework in their efforts to facilitate drone deployment.