In Telangana, birds of a feather ‘hunt’ rogue drones together

Deployed recently, the Garuda Squad has proved to be cost-effective and efficient in counter-attacking small drones (costing around Rs 1 lakh), which have become a headache for security forces due to their size and maneuvering abilities.

By teaching the birds to deploy nets, the Telangana Police has taken care of a critical concern — the safety of its squad from the spinning propellers of rogue drones as they are intercepted.

A collage showing an eagle from the Garuda Squad deploying “hunting down” a drone during a training exercise. (Photo: Special Arrangement)

“The training process involved a lot of trial and error, but no birds were harmed in the process. Instead of the bird seizing the drone directly, they have been trained to deploy a net, ensnare the drone and drag it to a secure, predetermined location, away from public areas,” says Tafseer Iqubal, Deputy Inspector General, Intelligence Security Wing.

Stating that Telangana is now ready to assist or share its knowledge and capabilities with other police departments and security forces across the country, Iqubal says, “The Garuda Squad, the first-of-its-kind, was conceptualised in 2021, following a state government order. Three years on, it has achieved operational readiness and is currently being utilised on a pilot basis.”

Recently, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had spoken about the need to establish a “comprehensive” anti-drone unit to protect the country from threats posed by drones. Shah was referring to a laser-equipped anti-drone gun mount system that has been developed, especially for border areas.

However, training the squad, which comprises kites and eagles, was easier said than done. “There were challenges, because these are birds and not machines. But the Garuda Squad is operationally ready for deployment now. We have been utilising their services for a while,” says Iqubal, director, Integrated Intelligence Training Academy (IITA), Telangana’s premier institution that provides expert training in canine handling, bomb detection and disposal techniques, and specialised instruction for both personal security officers (PSOs) and private security agencies.

At the sight of an aerial intruder, a bird is released from its location to snatch from the skies the rogue drone — just as it would its prey.

“As an advanced training measure, the team has been acclimatising the birds to different scenarios, including crowd and noise levels that they would encounter in real-life situations,” says an officer.

An eagle from the Garuda Squad deploys a net to snag a drone during a training exercise. (Photo: Special Arrangement)

As K Aravind Rao, Deputy Superintendent of Police, IITA, reiterates that the bird squad offers “an efficient and cost-effective alternative”, Alladi Nagesh, who heads the team of trainers — Mohammad Fareed and Abir Bandari — says the species chosen for the squad are “aerial hunters with a killer instinct”.

Different birds have been designated for different purposes depending on their nature, size, flying pattern, hunting style and ability. For instance, kites are used for aerial surveillance due to their ability to fly at great heights with stability. “Cameras have been attached to the kite for such surveillance. Besides providing extremely stable visuals, they go unnoticed in the skies,” say officials, adding that eagles have been deployed for an attack over a short distance.

Yet another bird on the squad — officials declined to reveal the species — is best suited for long-range sniper-like attacks. Nagesh, who heads the team of bird trainers, says the squad’s “sniper” can hit a speed of 390 miles per hour (approximately 620 km per hour), something a drone cannot achieve even while trying to evade a hit.

Nagesh adds, “The birds are identified while still young and trained just like a canine — by using feeding as incentive. GPS trackers are attached to the birds so we don’t lose them. They are given training in different real-life scenarios involving public address systems and loud music, to prepare them for various operational environments.”

Talking about a “key limitation”, officials say the birds are unable to distinguish between authorised drones and the rogue ones.

Calling the inclusion of birds in safeguarding the country’s internal security a “welcome” move, Rajeev Khandelwal, general secretary, Hyderabad Birding Pals, an NGO dedicated to promoting birdwatching across Telangana, says, “As long as the birds are trained ethically, internationally set norms are followed, and they are not hurt or tortured and allowed to fly freely, it’s a fantastic move.”