THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state police have joined hands with three Ernakulam-based startups specialising in artificial intelligence and drone technology to set up a drone forensic laboratory in the capital. The work on the lab is in an advanced stage and will start functioning soon, said ADGP Manoj Abraham, the nodal officer of Cyberdome which is spearheading the project.
The lab can glean information from the drones that are caught for infringing laws. It can also assess the technical capabilities of drones being imported to the state from countries such as China. While the project was started last year, it grabbed attention after the recent drone attacks on an Air Force installation in Jammu.
The officer said a large number of drones are regularly being imported to the state and hence it is imperative that a forensic lab is set up to collect and analyse digital evidence in case they are used for nefarious activities.
“There is currently no mechanism in the state to conduct a technical checkup of drones caught while engaging in nefarious activities. The lab will have the technical expertise to check the software, hardware and the networking of drones. The details collected can also be produced as evidence,” Manoj said.
The lab will have state-of-the-art facilities to check the black box of the drones. The details in the black box cannot be deleted or altered and by deciphering it in the lab, the investigators can access vital information such as the places covered by the drone since its first use, the details of the crashes the drone had endured in the past, the site of last crash, information conveyed to foreign countries if any and whether the information from the drone has been hacked. Manoj added that the police expect the drones to play a more significant role in the near-future and chances of them being misused is high.
Anti-drone system on anvil
Work is also on to develop an anti-drone system with the police department having earmarked Rs 1 crore towards meeting the initial expenses. The proposed system will have a range of one to five kilometres and can be mounted on vehicles. Kerala will be the first state in the country to take such an initiative, Manoj said.