Indian railways said on Tuesday, it has procured ‘Ninja Unmanned Aerial Vehicles’ (UAV) to improve rail asset tracking and provide enhanced passenger protection through a drone-based surveillance network.
“Drone surveillance technology has emerged as an important and cost-effective tool for security surveillance over large areas with limited manpower. Mumbai Division of Central Railway in Indian Railways has recently procured two Ninja UAVs for better security and surveillance in Railway areas like station premises, Railway track sections, yards, workshops, etc,” an official statement said.
Ninja UAV is considered to be inexpensive and one of the most available surveillance drones, and will allow for real-time monitoring.
Railway Ministry said a team of four Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel were trained in Mumbai for drone flight, monitoring, and maintenance. Such drones are capable of real-time monitoring, video sharing,
and can be used in an autonomous secure mode of failure.
As many as nine drones have been procured by RPF at a cost of ₹31.87 lakh at the south-eastern railway, central railway, modern coaching factory, Raebareli, and south-western Railway. Further, there is a plan to procure 17 more drones worth ₹97.52 lakh. As many as 19 RPF personnel have so far been trained to operate and maintain drones, out of which four of them have received licenses for flying drones. Six more are being trained. A drone camera can cover an area that requires 8-10 RPF personnel, thereby making the best use of limited manpower.
“The purpose of the drone deployment is to provide a force multiplier and aid to the effectiveness of the security personnel deployed. It can help in inspection of Railway assets and safety of yards, workshops, car sheds, etc. it can be used to launch surveillance on criminal and anti-social activities like gambling, throwing of garbage, hawking, etc in Railway premises,” the statement said.
Besides, analysis of such data can be used in vulnerable sections for safe operations of trains.
“Drone beats have been designed based on railway assets, the sensitivity of the area, the activity of criminals, etc. Drone acts as an “EYE IN THE SKY” and monitors the whole area. Any suspicious activity if noticed is intimated to the nearest RPF post of division to apprehend the criminal live. One such criminal was apprehended on a real-time basis in the Wadibunder Yard area while he was trying to commit theft inside the railway coach stationed in the yard,” the ministry said.
