Over the PA system a voice tells us not to be alarmed. What we are about to see is just a demonstration, courtesy of the United Arab Emirates' Ministry of the Interior.

Two men wander onto the circular stage, wearing soccer shirts and jeans. At first they seem good natured, perhaps a little over excited, maybe a bit drunk. Then voices are raised. A punch is thrown. The two men begin to wrestle.

From seemingly out of nowhere, a large quad-rotor drone drops out the cloudless sky over Dubai Internet City, hovering insect-like just above the heads of the men, watching them with camera-eyes.

Before they can even notice, a squad of policemen – wearing helmets, body armour, and carrying assault rifles – rush them from the side of the stage. With military precision they pull the men apart, pin them face-down to the floor, and restrain them at gunpoint, all while the drone watches from above.

There’s a stunned silence from the largely international crowd, broken by enthusiastic applause from the Emiratis in the audience.