The Employment of Drones as Decision-Making Support in Police Operations: Photointerpretation by the Intelligence System of the Amazonas Military Police in Jungle and Riverine Environments

Abstract

Operations to combat drug trafficking in the Amazon region face unique operational challenges arising from the territorial vastness, extensive river networks, and the isolation of riverine communities. This article analyzes the strategic employment of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs/drones) by the Intelligence System of the Amazonas Military Police (SIPOM) as a decision-making support instrument in police operations. It emphasizes the Intelligence Operational Technique known as photointerpretation applied in jungle environments, along rivers, and in difficult-to-access areas. The study demonstrates that the use of drones by PMAM Intelligence Agencies—when integrated with the operations of the Aerial Radiopatrol Group (GRAER), the Special Operations Company (COE), and interagency actions with the Integrated Force to Combat Organized Crime (FICCO)—significantly expands the capacity for knowledge production to support the decision-making process. By analyzing the National Public Security Intelligence Doctrine (DNISP), the aeronautical regulatory framework (ANAC RBAC-E No. 94/2017), and operational experiences in the Amazonian context, the article establishes an employment model that prioritizes operational reconnaissance, river route mapping, and the identification of transshipment points in backwaters (varadouros). Results indicate that real-time photointerpretation by intelligence analysts optimizes the deployment of operational troops, reduces personnel exposure to risk, and provides objective informative elements that support both tactical decision-making and, eventually, the preparation of Technical Reports for subsequent police procedures.