Coronavirus: Surveillance drones put into service to enforce curfew in India

Within 24 hours after the surveillance drones were put into service in Jalandhar, , 20 people had been arrested for violating curfew norms that were implemented to stop the from spreading. The unmanned aircraft have been used to enhance surveillance in the areas under the jurisdiction of the Jalandhar Commissionerate .

According to the Tribune India, Commissioner of Police Gurpreet Singh Bhullar on Saturday said: “an ultra-modern technology was being used for keeping an eye over the hotspots and vulnerable areas of the district.”

Surveillance drones help in arrest of 20 people

During the drone surveillance missions, police had identified a number of people violating the curfew norms. 12 First Information Reports were lodged against 20 people who were later arrested for breaking the curfew norms that have been put in place to stop the Coronavirus from spreading.

Jalandhar Deputy Commissioner Varinder Kumar Sharma and the Commissioner of Police, states that the use of the surveillance drones was aimed to ensure strict compliance of the curfew. They said that: “the curfew had been imposed for the betterment of people so that the COVID-19 virus could be stopped from spreading its tentacles.”

Reportedly, the drones that seem to be DJI Phantoms, can cover an area of 1.25 miles in all directions and could fly up to a height of around 600 feet.

In the nearby town of Ludhiana, surveillance drones have been put to use as well. Local police there has access to 15 drones outfitted with cameras. Reportedly, many people are not following the local police orders as one person commented online: “You can see people standing on street corners, [e]specially youngsters gossiping with each other. Some play cricket. People are sitting in groups on [the] streets all day.”

What do you think of the increased use of drones for surveillance purposes during the Coronavirus pandemic? Do you think this is justified under the current circumstances? Or do you feel that this is government overreach and that are slowly changing into police states? Let us know what you think in the comments below.

Coronavirus: Surveillance Drones Put Into Service To Enforce Curfew In India 1


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Haye Kesteloo
Haye Kesteloo

Haye Kesteloo is a leading drone industry expert and Editor in Chief of DroneXL.co and EVXL.co, where he covers drone technology, industry developments, and electric mobility trends. With over nine years of specialized coverage in unmanned aerial systems, his insights have been featured in The New York Times, The Financial Times, and cited by The Brookings Institute, Foreign Policy, Politico and others.

Before founding DroneXL.co, Kesteloo built his expertise at DroneDJ. He currently co-hosts the PiXL Drone Show on YouTube and podcast platforms, sharing industry insights with a global audience. His reporting has influenced policy discussions and been referenced in federal documents, establishing him as an authoritative voice in drone technology and regulation. He can be reached at haye @ dronexl.co or @hayekesteloo.

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