High-end Chinese drone catches fancy of Pakistani smugglers
Of the 10 drones seized by BSF this year, eight are Matrice 300 RTK, a UAV manufactured by a Chinese firm
AMRITSAR: A hi-tech Chinese drone, with a long flight time and advanced artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities, has become a favourite toy of Pakistani smugglers actively engaged in dropping drugs, arms and ammunition in Punjab from across the border.
This year (till May 3), the Border Security Force (BSF) has seized 10 drones that had sneaked into the Indian territory from the Pakistan side. Of these 10, eight are Matrice 300 RTK, a UAV manufactured by Chinese company DJI.
While some of the drones were shot down by the alert BSF men, others were recovered during search operations.
On April 27, a Matrice 300 RTK was gunned down by border guards in Dhanoe Kalan village of Amritsar sector. The quadcopter was recovered in a partially damaged condition. It was carrying 2kg of heroin and 170 gm of opium, which were also confiscated.
“DJI’s Matrice 300 is more reliable than the assembled drones. Last year, we had shot down some big drones which believed to have been assembled in Pakistan. The Matrice 300 ensures precise drops at specified locations and is equipped with high- definition cameras that are capable of live recording and taking pictures,” said a senior BSF official, who did want to be named.
“Matrice 300 RTK has a flight time of 55 minutes, and up to three payloads can be mounted on it simultaneously. The drone, with a weight of 6 kg, can carry payloads up to 2.7 kg,” said the official.
“These drones can also be operated with dual remote controls having HD screen. The most advanced feature is that its operator can remotely delete all data of the device once it is shot down or seized. This makes the tracking down of its earlier flight paths very difficult,” he added.
At least 30 drone intrusions have been reported at the Punjab border this year, according to the BSF. Last year, BSF had captured 22 drones used from smuggling of drugs, arms, ammunition and explosives from across the border.
“Until an effective anti-drone technology is not introduced at the border, the possibility of shooting down all drones coming from the Pakistan side is very less. We are hopeful of acquiring it soon,” said the BSF official.