The Delhi police is planning to purchase 32 surveillance drones for its 15 districts, along with traffic and other units. Currently, the Delhi police hires unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) from private vendors for surveillance of sensitive areas. These pieces of equipment are also used to conduct aerial monitoring of large gatherings and processions, like during festivals.

“We currently hire drones from private vendors to promote the bird-eye view technology, which certainly helps us in several ways. The force has decided to purchase drones. The tender has been floated for private bidders,” said a senior official to the national media.

It has also been learnt that in phase 1, 32 drones are being purchased at an estimated cost of around ₹3 lakh each. Later on, more drones will be purchased depending on the requirements. The grand plan is to acquire over a hundred drones that will be distributed across 15 police units responsible for traffic and other units within the force.

DP Using Drones

Drones are also extensively used by the Delhi police during agitation. For instance, in the farmers’ agitation of 2020-21 at the capital’s border, drones were used to monitor the situation. Drones were also used to enforce COVID-19 restrictions across the city during the pandemic. Similarly, the police again used drones during the riots of 2020 to get an aerial view of the narrow lanes of Northeast Delhi and monitor the movement of people in the violence-affected areas.

In February 2022, then police commissioner Rakesh Asthana said that the force will get a dedicated unit for drones to handle law and order situations, manage traffic and secure vulnerable installations and premises.