Pegasus helicopter: this is how the DGT fines from the sky

The Pegasus helicopter is one of the biggest threats when it comes to fines on our roads. It is a helicopter at the disposal of the DGT, equipped with the latest technology to identify your vehicle, measure its speed and take photos while it is in motion.

How does it work?

The Pegasus is very selective and focuses on only one target at a time, usually the one that attracts the most attention, that is, the one going the fastest or performing the most reckless manoeuvres. Its operating range ends at 300 metres altitude and one kilometre in total distance from the target. The purpose of the Pegasus is to determine the latitude and longitude of the vehicle.

The first step is to locate the helicopter’s position in space, and it does so precisely and outstandingly, thanks to several mechanisms, among which a software programme and state-of-the-art surveillance cameras stand out. Through the use of lasers, the distance between the monitored vehicle and the helicopter is measured every three seconds. Thanks to this data, it can determine the exact position of the vehicle, calculate its average speed and sanction the offender.

Once the report has been filed, the photo of the offence is sent to the Automated Complaints Processing Centre, where it begins to be processed. If the offence is really serious, it can be dealt with immediately by contacting the nearest Civil Guard patrol.

To calculate the speed, the helicopter tries to keep a constant distance while taking three readings that determine the average, from the lowest speed, the intermediate one and the highest.

In summary, its operation consists of:

• Through GPS location based on the coordinates of the helicopter itself, it calculates the position of the vehicle.
• The laser is responsible for measuring the distance between the helicopter and the car.
• The Pegasus calculates the speed from its position every three seconds, taking the average. It is capable of processing speeds from 80 to 360 km/h.
• The offence is processed electronically.

Where does it patrol most often?

To begin with, the Pegasus does not patrol the entire peninsula. For example, in both the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands, the DGT does not have bases for this helicopter, at least for now.

In the case of Catalonia and the Basque Country, these are territories that have transferred traffic competences, so the Pegasus does not issue fines in these places.

The most frequented roads patrolled by the Pegasus are the following:

• From A Coruña: The Pegasus helicopters monitor all the national roads in the area, as well as the A-8 -as far as Gijón-, the A-9 -from Tuy to El Ferrol- and the A-6.
• From Valladolid: The A-6 and the A-66, but also the N-620 -linking Burgos with the Portuguese border-, the N-122 -from Zaragoza to Portugal-, the N-601 -linking Madrid with Gijón- or the A-231 -linking León and Burgos-.
• From Zaragoza: Above all, the A-2 motorway -as far as Catalonia-, the N-2 national road and the N-330 -linking Alicante and the French border-.
• From Madrid: All motorways, ring roads and roads with heavy traffic: the M-607, the A-42…
• From Valencia: The A-7 motorway -as far as Catalonia- and the A-3, as well as the N-340 -linking Cádiz with Barcelona-.
• From Seville: The helicopters fly mainly over the A-4 and the N-IV, as well as the A-92 -towards Granada- and the A-49 -towards Huelva and Portugal-.
• From Málaga: The section of the A-92 corresponding to that area, as well as the A-7 and the N-340 coastal road.

Secrets you didn’t know about the Pegasus:

Special traffic operations: especially during major journeys, the Pegasus is responsible for covering the areas with the heaviest traffic. Since these are usually full of vehicles and the average speed is not usually high, it is harder to commit an offence.

Areas near airports are less protected: due to the heavy air traffic at airports and the problems with control towers, the Pegasus avoids the surroundings of the airport. You can relax a little here, but remember, the best way to avoid problems with the Pegasus is always to respect the speed limits.

The Pegasus does not fly at night: If the Pegasus is an obsession for you and you want to enjoy a long journey in a more relaxed way, one option is to travel at night. The Pegasus does not fly once the sun has set and it is not equipped with the infrared cameras needed to issue fines. Another advantage of night journeys is that the roads are usually practically clear, which means there are hardly any other cars sharing the tarmac.

In this video we can see the Pegasus in action and briefly explaining how it works:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBZnQWIph5c