Dubai Police unveils flying 'Hoversurf' at Gitex

The National -- Dubai Police are taking crime-fighting into the future as they unveiled their latest innovations on the first day of Gitex Technology Week on Sunday.

The Hoversurf, a cross between a drone and motorcycle, can seat a police officer or be controlled remotely.

Four large propellers flank its corners allowing it to fly at a height of 5 metres if mounted and 6km without a rider.

It can fly for up to 25 minutes when battery charged and almost an hour when traditionally fuelled.

The Hoversurf "bike" can also carry an additional 300kg and flies at a speed of 70kmh.

Meanwhile, visitors to the exhibition could be excused for confusing a smart motorcycle on display with something out of a Batman film.

Enrobed in Dubai Police's green and white livery, a carbon fibre-plated motorcycle is equipped with eight cameras which take 360-degree images and send them directly to the operating room.

The electric motorcycle reaches a top speed of 200kmh and can run for eight hours on a single charge.

The third innovation on display was a self-driving police vehicle which was developed with a company based in Singapore.

The car will record and transmit live footage from Dubai's streets to the operating room.

Brig Khalid Al Razooqi, Director General of Smart Services, said the autonomous car could be programmed to patrol a specific area and is equipped with cameras and radar.

The vehicle also contains a drone which can be dispatched to follow suspects who attempt to escape to areas inaccessible on foot.

The country's first Robocop was also on hand on Sunday to welcome visitors to the Dubai Police stall - but break the law and Robocop may not be so friendly.

Originally unveiled in May, the 1.7m, 100kg artificial intelligence system can recognise gestures and hand signals from up to 5 metres away.

The robot’s built-in cameras will stream video to the police command centre and can monitor facial expressions which inform the robot's demeanour.

Brig Al Razooqi said the smart policeman can help the force identify and arrest wanted criminals.

He previously said there were plans over the next two years for the world’s largest robot, which can run at 80kph.