World · Europe · 2 hrs ago
St. Gallen police will continue targeted traffic checks by drone
The St. Gallen cantonal police will keep using drones to check traffic after a trial they described as successful.
The checks focus on speeding and dangerous driving, which police can assess over longer road sections using video and calculations of distance and time.
Six checks were carried out this year: five on Stossstrasse and one near Mühlrüti at the Hulftegg.
Police found two speeding violations on Stoss and none at Hulftegg, and reported five drivers for unauthorised technical changes to their vehicles.
Future checks will be limited by place and time and focused on roads where police information or public reports point to serious speeding or dangerous behaviour.
Police say the checks could improve road safety because the drones are hard for drivers to notice, creating uncertainty about whether a road is being monitored.
St. Gallen cantonal police will continue using drones for targeted, limited traffic checks after a successful test phase.
The checks focus on roads where police have indications of major speeding offences, dangerous driving or racing offences.
This year, police carried out six drone checks: five on Stossstrasse and one at Mühlrüti on the Hulftegg.
The checks found two speeding offences at Stoss and none at Mühlrüti; five drivers were reported over unauthorised technical vehicle modifications.
Police say drone checks can help improve road safety and deter traffic violations.
- Who
- St. Gallen Cantonal Police.
- What
- It will continue targeted traffic checks using drones.
- When
- Since this year; the police said on 16 October 2026 that the checks would continue.
- Where
- Selected road sections in the canton of St. Gallen, including Stossstrasse and Mühlrüti on the Hulftegg.
- Why
- To detect speeding and dangerous driving, address traffic violations and improve road safety.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
St. Gallen Cantonal Police has used drones for other police tasks, including searches for people and documenting major events.
Police carried out six drone traffic checks: five on Stossstrasse and one at Mühlrüti on the Hulftegg.
Police reported a positive assessment of the test phase and said targeted drone checks would continue.
- Drone checks this year
- 6
- Stossstrasse checks
- 5
- Mühlrüti, Hulftegg checks
- 1
- Speeding offences at Stoss
- 2
- Speeding offences at Mühlrüti
- 0
- Reports over unauthorised vehicle modifications
- 5
3 sources
What people are saying
Unadjusted speed remains one of the most frequent causes of accidents.
This preventive effect can contribute to increased compliance with traffic regulations.