DRONE and AI technology is now being used above Scotland's busiest railway station, with filming taking place to train AI models.
Questions over privacy and the growing use of AI-powered monitoring in public spaces were raised earlier this week after posters telling commuters that “drones and CCTV are in use. Footage may be used to train AI models” were put on display at Glasgow Central Station.
The posters were placed on platforms around the station, with a QR code for SkyBound – a Southampton-based drone and aerial intelligence company that works with the rail industry to provide live aerial footage, operational monitoring and data analysis.
The National reached out to both Network Rail and SkyBound to understand what is being filmed and where the footage is going.
Why are AI drones being trained at Glasgow Central Station?
The rail operator and tech company told us that Glasgow Central is currently the only station in Scotland where SkyBound operates.
The drones are primarily being used to help railway staff monitor incidents, inspect infrastructure and respond more quickly to operational problems. SkyBound say the system "relies on anonymised footage and strict data protections".
SkyBound manages the flying, technology and safety procedures, while railway teams focus on assessing the situation and deciding what to do.
The companies say the technology can provide aerial views of crowding, track conditions, debris and other safety concerns so staff can make decisions with better information.
In Glasgow, the system is also being used to analyse how people move through transport hubs and large events – the Commonwealth Games being used as an example – with the stated aim of improving future planning and reducing congestion.
A SkyBound official told The National: “As an additional example in Glasgow specifically, through SkyBound’s Synthesiser beta programme, data from before, during and after the Commonwealth Games is being brought together to explore how crowds build and disperse, how people move between transport services and event locations, and where congestion develops.
“The aim is to help transport teams learn from one event and plan more effectively for the next.”
In a promotional video earlier this year, founder and CEO of the company Gemma Alcock said: "Skybound is a world leader in AI enabled remote drone operations. We want to change the world in a positive way, powered by intelligent autonomous systems.
"Skybound exists to put eyes in the sky quickly. Imagine a person goes missing or a trespasser causes all of the trains in the area to stop. Currently organisations rely on helicopters, which are expensive, they're scarce and so they're slow to respond, or foot teams who simply can't cover the ground fast enough.
"We're changing that. Skybound is deploying automated drone stations across the UK, permanently located where they're most needed."
A spokesperson for Network Rail said: "CCTV and drone technology are important tools in helping us keep passengers and railway staff safe and manage busy stations.
"We also work closely with specialist drone operator, Skybound, to provide aerial support for our teams completing track and railway infrastructure inspections.
"In some cases, anonymised footage is used to help improve incident response and operational processes across the railway. Any use of footage is carried out in accordance with data protection and privacy laws."
