Most drones crossing border originate from Pak Rangers outposts: Agencies

Source: The post is based on the article “Most drones crossing border originate from Pak Rangers outposts: Agencies” published in The Hindu on 3rd December 2022.

What is the News?

Most cases of violation of international borders by drones originating from Pakistan in the past one year have taken place in the Amritsar sector of the Border Security Force(BSF).

What are Drones?

​​The term “drone” refers to unmanned aircraft (UA), which were initially designed for use in the aerospace and military sectors. They are now used in the mainstream due to their increased efficiency and safety.

The level of autonomy of a drone can range from remotely piloted in which a human is in charge of its movements to advanced relying on a system of sensors and LIDAR detectors to determine its movement.

How India is regulating the use of drones?

Abolishing several approvals and permissions, the Government notified drone regulations in 2021 to make India a hub for drone research and development. 

Now, a remote pilot license is not required for the non-commercial use of micro and nano drones, and no permission is needed to operate drones in green zones. 

Drones can be used as unmanned flying taxis with payloads of up to 500 kilograms. Further, the companies that operate drones have also been allowed foreign ownership.

The government also approved the Production-Linked Incentive(PLI) program for drones and their components for three fiscal years.

How serious is the threat of drone attacks from Pakistan?

The threat of drone attacks from the Pakistani side is very real. Sighting of drones near the India-Pakistan border and the Line of Control (LoC) has been frequent. Some of them have carried weapons to the Indian side.

In 2019, security personnel reported 167 sightings of drones from Pakistan, according to the official figures. In the pandemic hit in 2020, there were 77 sightings.