In a proactive move to enhance their capabilities, the Kerala police took the initiative to send 25 police personnel for specialized training at the renowned Indian Institute of Technology, Madras. Additionally, an additional 20 officers received fundamental training in drone operation from the state's own drone lab.
In a significant event, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan personally distributed drones to each police district, accompanied by the issuance of drone pilot licenses to the specially trained operators.
Furthermore, to bolster security measures, the Chief Minister unveiled an indigenous anti-drone software during the ceremony, further enhancing the state's capabilities in managing aerial threats.
Recognizing the importance of knowledge dissemination, he urged the trained drone pilots to share their expertise with their colleagues, fostering a culture of skill development and technological proficiency among the police force.
Additionally, 20 personnel received fundamental drone operation training from the local drone lab. IG P Prakash, IPS, the nodal officer of Kerala Police's Cyberdome, highlighted the drones' applications in maintaining law and order and aiding disaster management efforts.
"Our police drones are used in difficult situations and sometimes in areas that are usually inaccessible. So our personnel has to be specially trained," Mr Prakash told Press Trust of India.
At the initial stage, each of the 20 police districts in the state received a single drone.
"This is an indigenously developed anti-drone system, and we are proud of it," Mr Prakash said.
