Saudi Arabia has put artificial intelligence at the centre of its Hajj 2026 security operation. Authorities are using drones, AI-powered crowd analysis systems, and facial recognition technologies this season to monitor congestion, detect violations, and prevent unauthorised access to the holy sites.
The system is built around a Unified Security Operations Center in Makkah.
What Is Being Deployed
Drones are being used to track and apprehend violators of Hajj regulations, alongside fixed-wing aircraft tasked with monitoring illegal entry attempts under the slogan “No Hajj without a permit.”
Drones allow security forces to cover large areas quickly, sending immediate alerts to field teams about suspicious movements and infiltration attempts. The system also includes smart surveillance networks, high-resolution cameras, and thermal imaging devices.
Platforms known as Baseer and Sawaher — developed by the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) in partnership with the Ministry of Interior — use computer vision, thermal imaging, and AI-driven analytics to monitor crowd density and movement patterns in real time.
These tools analyse live footage to detect congestion before it becomes dangerous and redirect pilgrims away from blocked routes.
Facial recognition is also active across entry points and sites, used to verify pilgrim permits and identify individuals in real time.
Major General Dr. Hamoud Al-Faraj, Director General of Civil Defence, said authorities had intensified preventive measures while expanding the use of modern technologies and artificial intelligence to improve risk monitoring and emergency response capabilities.
SDAIA has described its goal as ensuring AI operates quietly in the background while making the pilgrim journey safer, smoother, and more efficient at every stage — from departure in home countries through to exit from Saudi Arabia after Hajj.
Saudi Arabia has deployed a large number of human and material resources to ensure the safety of pilgrims from their arrival to their departure, with security forces also strengthening surveillance to prevent criminal acts, curb pickpocketing, and regulate vehicle traffic in central Makkah (Grand Mosque).
