Maldives Police Service will introduce a "Drone as First Responder" system next year as part of a broader effort to modernize emergency response capabilities, Home Minister Ali Ihusan has announced.

Speaking at a ceremony marking the 93rd anniversary of the Maldives Police Service at Iskandharu Koshi, Ihusan said the initiative forms part of President Dr Mohamed Muizzu's vision to strengthen policing through the use of advanced technology.

The minister said three major technology projects are scheduled to be launched next year to improve police operations and public services.

Among them is an upgrade of the Police Command and Control Centre's 911 Emergency Response Centre, which will be equipped with next-generation call-handling technology.

According to Minister Ihusan, the upgraded system will enable emergency operators to instantly identify callers' locations and access live feeds from police surveillance cameras.

The Minister also announced the introduction of the Drone as First Responder service, which will allow drones to be dispatched immediately to the scene of an incident before officers arrive.

The drones will transmit live video to the command centre, enabling police to assess the situation in real time and make informed operational decisions while officers are en route.

Minister Ihusan said the system would be particularly useful in situations where police response times are affected by road congestion or travel between islands.

In addition, he said work has begun on a new state-of-the-art data centre that will host the technology systems used by the police.

Once the projects are completed, the quality and efficiency of police services provided to the public will improve significantly, Minister Ihusan said.