Indian Railways drone surveillance: Indian Railways is strengthening the safety and security of passengers and its assets through drone surveillance. This is helping the national transporter to curb various incidents, including stone pelting, theft, trespassing, and other offences, while improving crowd management at stations.The Railway Protection Force (RPF) is using drones to monitor railway tracks, station premises and rail yards. Equipped with cameras, the drones provide live video feeds and aerial surveillance, helping security personnel identify suspicious activities, monitor vulnerable locations, and respond to potential threats.The Ministry of Railways has directed its zones and divisions to deploy unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), commonly known as drones, to improve the monitoring and maintenance of railway tracks, bridges, and other infrastructure.Also Read | Cabinet approves 78-day bonus for 11.4 lakh railway employees, up to Rs 17,951 eachEast Coast Railway deploys 11 drones across 284 stationsAs part of this effort, East Coast Railway (ECoR) has deployed 11 drones across its three divisions, with plans to increase the fleet to 22 by March 2027.The existing network covers 284 railway stations, 2,708 route kilometres (RKM) and 6,072 track kilometres (TKM), supported by 160 Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA)-certified drone pilots. The drones are deployed across Khurda Road (4), Sambalpur (6), and Rayagada divisions (1).“Named ‘DROAWK EYE – Observation, Detection, Prevention,’ the system supports the Railway Protection Force (RPF) in monitoring vulnerable locations, detecting suspicious activities, and preventing offences,” the ECoR said in a statement. Drones help railway security personnel monitor tracks, stations and vulnerable railway assets. (Image: ECoR/enhanced using AI)Over 3,000 drone sorties conducted in 2026From January 1 to September 15, 2026, the RPF in East Coast Railway (ECoR) conducted 3,033 drone sorties, including 680 in Khurda Road, 1,024 in Rayagada, and 1,329 in Sambalpur Division.Story continues below this adOf these, 1,265 were classified as RED-coded sorties focused on critical security activities, including preventing sabotage and stone pelting, detecting cable theft, and monitoring fire risks. These operations help security personnel monitor vulnerable railway sections and identify potential threats. Indian Railways uses drone technology to improve security monitoring and crowd management. (Image: ECoR)Night vision and Thermal cameras equipped dronesEquipped with night-vision and thermal cameras, these drones are particularly useful in forests, hilly terrain, tunnels, bridges and isolated stretches of railway lines, including sections of the Koraput-Rayagada-Kirandul line, the ECoR said. It further said that these drones help monitor railway stations, coaching yards, and vital installations; detect trespassing, theft, and encroachment; and support investigations and disaster response.Drones support crowd management and passenger safetyThe zonal railway also stated that drone surveillance played an important role in crowd management during Rath Yatra 2026 in Puri. “It also supports women’s safety under the Meri Saheli initiative, cleanliness drives, environmental protection and monitoring of vulnerable railway assets. Live surveillance and audio warnings help discourage unauthorised track crossing and stone pelting,” it added.Expansion of drone surveillance systemThe East Coast Railway said that a single drone team can monitor around 8 to 10 km, allowing security personnel to cover larger areas and deploy resources more efficiently. The railway zone also plans to increase its drone fleet from 11 to 22 by March 2027. ” ECoR aims to further strengthen railway security and passenger safety through technology-driven surveillance,” it said.