DRDO Develops MEMS Eavesdropping And Surveillance Equipment For Border Security

Indian DRDO’s Research and Innovation Centre has developed micro-devices and micro unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) using high-end Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS) for eavesdropping and surveillance along border areas and internal security.

“The devices in turn depends on Integrated Circuit Fabrication (ICF) technology. The devices have applications for the defence and paramilitary force for border surveillance and internal security purposes. It will be very helpful for the defence forces as it will consume less power and also handy in remote and inaccessible areas," director of Research and Innovation Centre V Natarajan was quoted as saying by Times of India Thursday.

Natarajan was speaking on the sidelines of a three-day international conference on Materials Processing and Applications organised by VIT University.

The device has been put in a field trial. "The device developed for eavesdropping will pick sounds by different means. It can detect very low frequency and vibration by MEMS sensor. Even a vehicle moving at a long distance will be detected by the ground vibration. It can also be used in submarines to pick communications through SONAR (sound, navigation and ranging)," he said.

The micro UAVs are also being developed by the centre, he said, adding, "It will be equipped with advanced surveillance cameras and an eavesdropping device."

The communications picked through the devices transferred to the centre, where it will be decoded to help the defence and paramilitary forces.

He, however, said that they had been facing challenges as there were several languages spoken by anti-social elements and terrorists. "We are in the process of developing technology to decode data (communications in different language and dialects)," he further said.