Railways will procure drone cameras or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) for project monitoring and maintenance of tracks and other railway infrastructure. Drones were used for aerial surveys of the construction going on in the first phase construction of the Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor between Kanpur and Ludhiana.
According to Railways, this will enhance safety and efficiency in train operations. All zonal railways have been directed to procure such cameras. West Central Railways will be the first one to use them.
UAVs will be deployed to monitor relief and rescue operations besides project monitoring, progress of important works, conditions of track and inspection-related activities. They shall also be used to assess preparedness of non-interlocking (NI) works, crowd management during fairs, to identify scrap and for aerial survey of station yards.
According to Railway officials, it will be instrumental in providing real time inputs related to safety and maintenance of tracks and other railway infrastructure.
Trial runs are being done in all three divisions of West Central Railways, which will use drones for work in Katni-Singrouli and bridge inspections. A demonstration of drone camera was done in Jabalpur Yard.