Bhubaneswar: East Coast Railway (ECoR) is leading Indian Railways in drone-based surveillance, with 11 drones currently deployed across its three divisions and plans to increase the fleet to 22 by March 2027.
The initiative strengthens railway security, passenger safety, crowd management and protection of railway assets.
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 11 drones—four in Khordha Road, six in Sambalpur and one in Rayagada Division—are operated with the support of 160 DGCA-certified drone pilots
. The network covers 284 stations, 2,708 route kilometres and 6,072 track kilometres across 31 RPF posts.
From January 1 to September 15, 2026, ECoR RPF conducted 3,033 drone sorties, including 680 in Khordha Road, 1,024 in Rayagada and 1,329 in Sambalpur Division.
Of these, 1,265 RED-coded sorties focused on critical security activities, including prevention of sabotage and stone pelting, detection of cable theft and fire safety monitoring.
Equipped with night vision and thermal cameras, drones are particularly useful in forests, hilly terrain, tunnels, bridges and isolated stretches, including sections of the Koraput–Rayagada–Kirandul line.
They also help monitor railway stations, coaching yards and vital installations, detect trespassing, theft and encroachment, and support investigations and disaster response.
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.
A single drone team can effectively monitor approximately 8 to 10 kilometres, enabling wider coverage and more efficient deployment of security personnel.
With the planned expansion to 22 drones by March 2027, ECoR aims to further strengthen railway security and passenger safety through technology-driven surveillance.
