Drones to Ensure Security, Transparency in JH Bypoll

Hyderabad: India saw its first full-scale drone surveillance system for an election as Hyderabad’s District Election Officer R.V. Karnan launched 139 drones, one for each of the polling stations for Tuesday’s Jubilee Hills byelection. “Our duty is to conduct free and transparent polling. This technology brings every station under real-time aerial observation,” Karnan said after unveiling the fleet at the Kotla Vijaya Bhaskar Reddy Stadium, Yousufguda, on Monday.

Each drone will relay live footage to a central command room that will link the Election Commission, police, and civic authorities. The feed will help officials track crowd flow, voter queues, and any disturbance as polling proceeds.

Every drone pilot will operate within the Directorate General of Civil Aviation guidelines and will maintain altitude under 100 feet and cover only the notified zone. “We have one pilot per location,” said Guru Kailash of Garuda Aerospace from Chennai who is part of the operations team. “They are trained to keep the flight stable, monitor continuously, and avoid private areas.”

The project is led by Hanuma Vyuh Private Limited, a Hyderabad-based start-up that began operations two months ago. Its founder, Chiguru Prashant Kumar, described the exercise as a coordinated grid of local pilots connected through the Integrated Command and Control Centre.

“Each drone holds its position unless directed by the control room. If police detect unrest or an irregular movement, we can adjust its vantage immediately,” he said. His firm has also partnered with TiHAN, the Technology Innovation Hub on Autonomous Navigation at IIT Hyderabad, whose researchers provided technical support, the largest drone and student pilots.

TiHAN’s senior research staff member Jani Basha explained that the team had adapted its in-house models for election use. “We built the frame, flight controller, and power system ourselves. These drones can carry two kilos, fly for forty minutes, and transmit video over ten kilometres. We usually test them for autonomous navigation; today they are serving a civic function.”

Hyderabad’s civic bodies have previously relied on CCTVs and static cameras during elections and processions. The drone network adds altitude and reach to that surveillance web, which will offer faster response where police vans cannot manoeuvre. Election officials said the system would also record the timestamp and coordinates of any breach of the Model Code of Conduct. Kailash notes, “People are curious when they see a machine above them. We ask them to give us space so we can focus on the flight and the screen.”

Administrators believe the experiment may serve as a blueprint for larger elections. “Drone-based surveillance will act as a powerful deterrent against any unlawful activities and will help our teams maintain peace and order throughout the polling process,” said Tafseer Iqbal, Joint Commissioner of Police, who was also at the curtain raiser on Monday.

Benefits of the Drone Surveillance Initiative:

•Unprecedented Monitoring: Real-time aerial tracking of crowd movements and voter flow across all polling stations.

•Enhanced Security and Order: Proactive aerial oversight to prevent unlawful gatherings and ensure a peaceful voting environment.

•Operational Integrity: All operations will adhere to strict protocols to protect voter privacy and uphold the sanctity of the electoral process.