Looking Up At The Drones, Pg15

Key Highlights:

• Cross-border drone activity from Pakistan into Indian Punjab has significantly increased, with 294 drones intercepted in 2024 and 287 in 2025.
• These drones are primarily used for smuggling narcotics, weapons, and explosives, often operating under the cover of darkness.
• The Border Security Force (BSF) and Punjab Police are actively involved in intercepting these drones and analyzing their operational patterns.
• Punjab launched the Baaz Akh (Hawk Eye) Anti-Drone System (ADS) in August 2025, becoming the first Indian state to deploy an independent, state-level anti-drone grid.
• Village defence committees, like the one in Gilpan, are assisting security agencies by reporting drone sightings and suspicious activities.

Detailed Insights:

• The 462-km fence along the International Border in Punjab, built in the late 1980s and early 1990s, is proving ineffective against aerial incursions.
• Data analysis of over 1,200 intercepted drones since 2024 reveals an evolution towards more technologically advanced drones with anti-jamming and satellite-linked systems.
• Key launch pads in Pakistan's Punjab include Jahman and Masteki, strategically located across from Indian sectors like Khalra and Khem Karan.
• Drones typically drop consignments in agricultural fields, but navigational errors can lead to drops near farmhouses or homes.
• Most drones are of Chinese make, such as the DJI Mavic 4 Pro and DJI Matrice 300 RTK, capable of carrying significant payloads.
• The Baaz Akh ADS has an 8-10 km range and focuses on detection, tracking, jamming, and neutralization of drone signals.
• A major challenge is the drones' fail-safe "return-to-home" mechanisms, which allow them to return to Pakistan when jammed.
• Drone activity is highest between 10 PM and 4 AM, with an average of 12 to 15 drones per hour, often 3.5-10 km inside the Indian border.

Scientific/Technical Concepts Involved:

• Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV): An aircraft without a human pilot aboard, controlled remotely or autonomously.
• Anti-Jamming Capabilities: Technologies that allow drones to resist or overcome electronic interference designed to disrupt their control signals.
• Satellite Communication: Use of satellites for transmitting and receiving data, enabling drones to navigate and operate over long distances without direct line-of-sight.
• Return-to-Home (RTH) Mechanism: A safety feature in drones that automatically guides them back to their launch point if control signal is lost or battery is low.