A group of scientists from India and the UK have identified using machine learning and artificial intelligence through camera-equipped drones to spot violent behaviour in crowds.

In a research paper titled 'Eye in the Sky', the researchers described that they have designated certain postures of human beings as violent. The algorithm prepared thus judges human poses in the video to the postures designated as 'violent', which include poses like strangling, punching, kicking, shooting, and stabbing.

They used a simple Parrot AR quadcopter that transmits video footage over a mobile internet connection for real-time analysis.

The system was created to detect crime in public spaces and at large events. In an interview with The Verge, lead researcher Amarjot Singh of the University of Cambridge said that he was motivated by events like the Manchester Arena bombing in 2017. Singh said surveillance cameras can automatically spot suspicious behaviour and prevent the occurrences of attacks like this in future.

Singh and his researchers claim that the system is 94 percent accurate at identifying violent positions but if more people appear in this frame, the figure gets lowered.

In order to test AI, the researchers recorded their own video clips of volunteers pretending to attack one another. However, the volunteers were generously spaced apart and attacked one another with exaggerated movements which don't represent the actual reflection of how the system is going to practically work. Singh said he has plans to test the drones during two upcoming events in India: Technozion and Spring Spree, which take place at NIT Warangal.

There is a huge difference between the test stages and real-world application of the system. In the latter case, crowds are huge, unequally spaced and people's actions are more likely to be misinterpreted. Even if this particular system has not yet proved itself in real-time scenarios, it is a clear illustration of the direction contemporary research is going. With the rise of cost-effective drones and fast mobile internet, it is easier than ever to capture and transmit live video footage and build a sophisticated surveillance. Singh suggested that new regulations may be needed to prevent misuse of the technology.