SKY MARSHAL

North South University, Department of Architecture, Dhaka

Project idea

In Bangladesh, especially in Dhaka, urban life has become increasingly vulnerable. From the narrow, congested lanes of Old Dhaka to the high rise corridors of Gulshan, the rise in crime rates and fire related incidents paints a concerning picture of urban safety. Fires in dense neighborhoods are no longer rare, they're expected. And when they break out, response times are slow, access is limited, and lives are lost.
At the same time, technology is advancing rapidly. Drones, automation, and smart surveillance are transforming the way cities operate. This contrast sparked a vision: What if technology could meet Dhaka’s vulnerabilities head-on?
That question gave rise to SKY MARSHAL — a modern reimagination of the classic police box, evolved to serve the complex needs of a fast-growing city. A hybrid urban unit, MARSHAL houses a quadcopter mounted on a crane boom capable of 360 degree surveillance and aerial firefighting. It’s not just a machine, it’s a guardian in the sky, watching over the city, ready to respond within seconds.

Project description

SKY MARSHAL is a futuristic urban intervention designed to address two of Dhaka’s most pressing safety concerns: rising street-level crime and frequent urban fires, particularly in densely populated areas like Old Dhaka and high rise zones such as Gulshan. As the city expands both vertically and in population density, the challenges of maintaining security and responding quickly to fire emergencies have become critical.
This project reimagines the traditional police box as a multi functional smart unit, integrating surveillance technology and emergency response capabilities into a single, compact urban device. At the heart of the SKY MARSHAL is a quadcopter mounted on a crane boom, allowing for 360 degree aerial surveillance of surrounding streets. Controlled directly by police forces, the drone can hover, scan, and track urban movement in real time, ensuring continuous vigilance and rapid law enforcement deployment.
Beyond surveillance, the quadcopter also functions as a high speed firefighting aircraft, equipped with water extinguishers specifically designed to target fires in tall buildings. This dual functionality enables MARSHAL to act as both a preventative and responsive tool, a true first responder in the sky.
The main motive of this project is to create a safer, smarter urban environment by merging law enforcement, technology, and emergency services. The core objective is to reduce emergency response time, enhance public safety, and support under resourced urban zones with a scalable, adaptable solution.
In a city where traffic congestion, poor accessibility, and outdated infrastructure delay conventional response teams, SKY MARSHAL presents a fast, efficient, and forward thinking alternative. It is a step toward future-ready urban safety, ONE THAT FLIES.

Technical information

The Sky Marshal is a next generation police box combining ground level public service with aerial surveillance and emergency response. The ground floor unit features a modular, composite structured enclosure equipped with investigation room, control room for the whole system, a reading and waiting zone, public interface system, emergency SOS system, surveillance monitors, and a two way communication setup. It is designed for street level interaction, rapid reporting, and local monitoring, and includes built-in environmental sensors (smoke, gas, motion) and a PA system for public announcements. Mounted on top is a crane boom that deploys the Sky Drone, an industrial grade quadcopter equipped with 360 degree cameras, thermal imaging, and real time 5G video transmission. The drone also serves as a high speed firefighting aircraft, carrying a compact water tank of capacity 5000 litres, and extinguisher system for tackling fires in high rise buildings. The entire system runs on a hybrid power setup, ensuring uninterrupted performance in critical scenarios.