Guwahati, Oct. 1: The unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) named Netra, that grabbed eyeballs in the Aamir Khan-starrer 3 Idiots, could soon be used by Assam police to boost its operational capability.
Assam police have started the process to procure UAVs, also called drones. As part of the plan, the police had asked Idea Forge Technology Private Ltd, a Navi Mumbai-based company, to demonstrate its Netra UAV during the 67th Assam Police Day celebrations here today. The company today demonstrated the camera-fitted drone during a parade and a cultural function organised as part of the celebrations here.
“We are planning to procure drones and so we had asked the company for a demonstration. Based on the feedback of the technical specifications of the drone vis-à-vis our requirement, we will take a decision accordingly. Drones can be used for taking photographs, video, surveillance or operational purposes. The drone, which was demonstrated today, is used for surveillance. We will check resolution of the still and video feeds and other technical details before taking a decision,” Assam director-general of police Khagen Sarma said today.
The manager (unmanned systems) of the company, Desh Raj Singh, told The Telegraph that it had started supplying Netra UAV to Indian security forces, including police of some other states, after it had signed an agreement with the Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO), under the ministry of defence, in 2007.
“It is a portable UAV which can be launched from the roadside and made to fly over the area of interest up to a height of 400m. It can send real-time video for 40 to 45 minutes. The camera fitted with it can be monitored from the ground by using a laptop with special software,” he said.
Singh said the UAV, weighing 3kg, can be used in areas or situations wh-en helicopters cannot operate.
“It was used during the Uttarakhand flash floods in 2013 or Saharanpur riots in 2014. It helped the National Disaster Response Force personnel in Uttarakhand carry out searches where helicopters could not be used. It helped save many lives as based on the feeds provided by the UAVs, our disaster management personnel conducted rescue operations. It can be useful for surveillance during operations by our security forces. We have received orders for 190 units of the Netra from the air force and navy and these will soon be delivered. This was used in 3 Idiots movie also,” Singh said.
“Since it can go up to a height of 400 metres, it cannot be seen and hence it is very effective for our security forces for surveillance purposes. In case of battery failure or communications failure, the vehicle will automatically come back to the launch station It was produced locally and we used carbon fibre and some materials used in making bullet-proof jackets,” he said.
Meghalaya police are also planning to procure the same UAV, he said.
