Drones and Privacy: The Indian Story

In the 21st century, the industry of drones, also known as Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) or Remote Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS), has witnessed an exponential growth, more so in civilian applications, such as surveillance and parcel delivery. From its traditional use in military operations for over a century, drones have readily been introduced in various industries ranging from agriculture, media, mining, insurance to mention a few, due to its revolutionary benefits and affordability. However, the use of drone technology has its pitfalls too. Its intricate software and hardware have the ability to use a variety of sensors to gather information/data from unique vantage points-for long periods and on a continuous basis. The prospect of having every move, every action, being monitored and possibly recorded, raises grave privacy concerns. This paper is aimed to offer a brief introduction to the concept of drones, associated privacy risks/concerns, the extant regulatory regime and finally concludes with suggestions and countermeasures to mitigate the risk.