Along with dealing with terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir, the biggest challenge for the security forces in the UT at present is the menace of drones. Arms, ammunition, cash and drugs are being sent from Pakistan through drones. In such a situation, different technologies are being developed for the security forces to deal with the increasing trend of drones. In this series, IIT Jammu has prepared a sound-based drone detection system.

Dr Karan Nathwani, professor in the Electrical Engineering department of IIT Jammu, has constructed an anti-drone system that works mainly on sound technology. “It is a first-of-its-kind system and we have developed an entirely new technology called sound-based detection. This system detects the sound emitted by drones, producing a unique signature that helps in their identification. We compare this signature with the system’s database, and if a match is found, the drone is detected. The cost of this system is about Rs 4 lakh,” he said.

“Not only is it cost-effective, but it is also user-friendly, making it accessible to the general public. It is easy to operate, and there are no issues with cameras or radar. The system was designed considering various challenges making it versatile,” he added.

When asked about the development time, he said it took between 6 months to 1 year to create this technology. He further said that the security forces need a fool-proof anti-drone grid system on international border (IB) and Line of Control (LoC) and many anti-drone technologies have already been installed and are being developed.

“We can provide this system to the Army only when they provide us with data from similar environments, allowing our AI technology to incorporate and adapt,” Dr Nathwani said.

With the help of this sound-based drone detection system, this device will be able to easily detect drones, aircraft, multiple drones or birds flying up to 300 meters by their sound. The cost of making this drone ranges from Rs 25,000 to Rs 40,000.

Courtesy: The Tribune India: 15th Feb , 2024