NEW DELHI: The National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) has deployed drone-based monitoring for its Overhead Equipment (OHE) on the Delhi–Ghaziabad–Meerut Namo Bharat corridor.
The initiative marks a significant shift in how critical railway infrastructure is inspected and maintained, making India’s most advanced regional rail system even more reliable, said a senior NCRTC official on Friday. The inspections will now be carried out by DB RRTS Operations India, the corridor’s operations and maintenance partner, bringing global expertise in predictive maintenance to the project.
By adopting drones, NCRTC is moving away from time-consuming and manpower-intensive manual inspections towards a data-driven, technology-enabled model.
Equipped with high-resolution cameras, thermal sensors, and AI-powered analytics, the drone system will offer a smarter, safer, and faster approach to OHE monitoring. They can capture detailed visuals of overhead lines, detect early warning signs such as loose fittings, insulation weaknesses, or thermal hotspots, and deliver real-time insights for asset health management. This allows timely interventions without the need for live-line contact or service disruptions.
Shalabh Goel, Managing Director, NCRTC, said, “Traditional OHE inspections often required temporary shutdowns or operational blocks, posing the risk of delays for commuters. By shifting to drone-enabled predictive maintenance, NCRTC will ensure greater reliability, reduced downtime, and improved safety across the Namo Bharat operations.”
He also highlighted the milestone, saying, “The launch of this drone-based OHE monitoring system further strengthens the safety and reliability of Namo Bharat services. By enabling predictive and technology-driven maintenance, it ensures uninterrupted, comfortable, and dependable journeys for commuters, while setting new benchmarks.”
Meanwhile, Niko Warbanoff, CEO of DB E.C.O. Group & DB International Operations, said, “The use of drones exemplifies our joint commitment to safety, innovation, and foresight. Together with NCRTC, we are shaping India’s most advanced rail system with precision-driven solutions.”
This innovation adds to a growing list of firsts by NCRTC in the Namo Bharat project. The system is already the world’s first to use ETCS Hybrid Level 3 signalling over an LTE backbone and India’s fastest regional rail, with trains designed for 180 kmph and operational speeds up to 160 kmph.