The Central government is working towards putting up a mechanism in place to effectively police the flying of drones by civilian agencies or individuals and to mitigate the potential threats they may pose to protected persons or sensitive establishments, reports The Tribune.

According to the report, the Bureau of Police Research and Development, under the Ministry of Home Affairs, has been tasked to fine tune strategies and operating procedures. It has also been tasked with laying down a road map for acquisition of anti-drone technologies towards the protection of VVIPs and vital installations.

Earlier in December 2018, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had issued a policy permitting use of remotely piloted aircraft and unmanned aircraft systems, also known as drones, for civilian commercial and personal use.

The move, though a welcome step, has also brought with it challenges of policing use of such vehicles as well as their potential use as weapons, said a police officer. While the DGCA has issued the operating parameters, enforcement of rules lies with law enforcement agencies and this is uncharted territory for them, he added.

As per the report, the officer said that the biggest challenge with these drones is monitoring their flight in the vicinity of sensitive areas and effective response in case of an emergent situation.