We're actually a little surprised they weren't doing this already. From today, Shanghai traffic police will be patrolling from the skies for four hours a day during rush hour: "Equipped with video surveillance cameras, the helicopters allow officers to survey some 1,800 meters below, providing clear ground visuals of vehicle plate numbers. The helicopters will primarily focus on monitoring daily traffic along the G2, G60, and G15 highways during the morning and evening rush hour. Any problems found will be forwarded to traffic police controls on the ground." They plan to mostly focus on congestion issues, and also violations more easily detected from the sky, such as illegal parking on our elevated highways. more ›

On March 19 at approximately 3.40pm, a red helicopter landed on the field in the south campus of Dezhou University in Shandong province. Lots of bemused students watched as a female student boarded the helicopter and flew away. This video, taken by a student at the university on his mobile phone, gained 320,000 views within the first three hours of its appearance on Youku.
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Follow the jump for another video that offers you a better look at what the machine looks like. Not the most chic-looking, we admit, but hey, it works. more ›