As many as three people were arrested in Bavla, Gujarat for flying drones in restricted areas during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit, said The Print. Modi was visiting the area in connection with the Gujarat polls. As per the report, the three men – Nikul Rameshbhai Parmar (24), Rakesh Kalubhai Bharvad (35), and Rajeshkumar Mangilal Prajapati (20) – were general photographers, video recording the event using a microdrone. The three said they were unaware of the “no drone flying zone” enforced in a two kilometres radius near the Sabha. They flew the drone from the main road near Sabha place. Why it matters: Reports of illegal drones have increased in recent months. On November 19, two drones were shot down near Punjab along the India-Pakistan border. Similarly, another seven drones were shot down earlier in the year along border areas. As technology progresses, military forces and militant entities embrace drones and similar UAVs. The proof of this can be seen in how police forces near border states like Mumbai police in Maharashtra and parts of Kerala are banning unauthorized use of drones. Need for drone-related regulation: The three persons in Gujarat were booked under the Indian Penal Code Section 188 although no prohibited items were found in their possession. Further, the photographers were also outside the perimeter wall of the Sabha when operating the drone. Nonetheless, incidents like this stress the need for a regulatory mechanism for drones. In September, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI)…
