Defence PSU Bharat Electronics Limited, which has the prototype, is now in talks with user agencies for demonstrations and the armed forces may be the first to use it

India’s Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) has developed a ‘Drone Guard System’ (DGS) to detect, track and neutralise adversarial drones. This is seen as especially important as recent reports have pointed out that Pakistan based drug smugglers are using drones to deliver contraband across the border.

Indigenous device all set to track-and-kill enemy dronesSources in the intelligence wing of BSF confirmed to TOI that recently smugglers were found using a drone in a border village in Gurdaspur. The BSF had confirmed 36 sightings of drones along the western border in the year 2017.

The DGS uses RF spectrum for drone detection while the neutraliser uses RF jamming to bring it down. Alternatively, it can also hoodwink the GPS system.

The prototype system, which is being pitched to different agencies, can also be deployed to protect strategic installations apart from border areas.

The system was showcased during the recent DefExpo 2018 held in Chennai.

Drones are gaining currency as attack weapons across the world even as they are becoming smaller and deadlier. DRDO has indicated that the Rustom-2 drone, indigenously developed for all three services, will be completed by 2020.