Anti-drone systems in the country are also being manufactured in view of the increasing threats of drones in the country from across the border. In particular, the smuggling of drugs, weapons and drone attacks on military institutions is to be stopped through drones on the border. Apart from this, drone attack is also a big threat to VVIP security.

An exhibition of one such counter drone system has been put up at the headquarters of BPRD under the Ministry of Home Affairs in Delhi. Godrej, an Indian multi-national FMCG company which also makes defence equipment for the armed forces, has entered into the production of internal security systems. The company has designed a special anti-UAV drone system.

This anti-drone system looks like a special gun, which the company has named Chimera. It is available in both MANPAD i.e. man-portable and static versions. The company’s senior manager Suman Mohapatra said, a Jawan can carry on his shoulders and can shoot down any Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) of the enemy coming within a range of about one kilometre.

According to the company, the Chimera system has the ability to track any drone as it has a special antenna that the Jawan can carry on his back in a backpack. It jams the radio frequency (RF) of the drone. With this, the enemy drone will either fall to the ground or it goes back to its range. According to the company, the static version of the Chimera has a range of 4-5 km. It can be installed in any sensitive building or rally etc., where VVIPs are present.

Why Is Chimera Important?

Suman Mohapatra said that the cost of Chimera MANPAD Anti Drone is Rs 3-4 crore. Some security agencies of the country have started using it in VVIP security. For security reasons, the company declined to reveal the names of the security agencies. Smuggling of drugs and weapons from Pakistan on the border is now happening through drones. The BSF has to face a lot of difficulties in neutralizing these drones. In such a situation, anti-drone systems like Chimera can prove to be very effective. Apart from this, the threat of attack from drones also remains constant. Last year, a Jammu airbase was attacked by a drone operated by terrorists from Pakistan.

There is always a danger of drone attack on the Red Fort during Independence Day celebrations, Republic Day celebrations at Kartavya Marg and across the country, rallies or any other big social or political events. In several foreign countries, many incidents of drone attacks on VVIP personalities with drones have also come to the fore. This is the reason why the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPRD) has kept the theme of the 4th Police-Superintendent Conference in Delhi as Cyber-Crime and Counter Drones. During this counter drone exhibition was also organized. The two-day (29-30 September) conference and exhibition was inaugurated by Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai.

What Is BPRD

The Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPRD) is an agency under the Ministry of Home Affairs, which provides specialized research and suggestions towards the modernization of police and central paramilitary forces across the country. Many other companies have also participated in the BPRD exhibition. One such company from Bhopal is DSE Technology, which has tied up with a company from Netherlands and has developed an anti-drone system with a range of 8-10 km. Destructive-drone can be shot down by installing this Tactical Drone Detection and Neutralization System on the roof of any sensitive headquarters or military establishment.