Indian customs seize 10 advanced drones at Delhi airport
Customs officials at Delhi airport have seized 10 professional-grade drones from three Indian passengers arriving from Hong Kong through Vietnam. The aircraft, valued at more than ₹1.03 crore, reportedly had thermal-imaging and laser-range-finding equipment and were assessed as defence-grade devices requiring registration.
Indian customs officials have seized 10 professional-grade drones from three passengers at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport, according to an official statement. The passengers, all Indian nationals, arrived at Terminal 3 from Hong Kong via Vietnam on September 25. They were intercepted while attempting to pass through the airport’s green channel after customs officers developed intelligence about the baggage.
A detailed examination uncovered 10 drones and their accessories. The recovered equipment included controllers, gimbals fitted with cameras, cables, propellers and joysticks, officials said. A Chartered Engineer’s assessment classified the drones as professional-grade unmanned aerial vehicles equipped with thermal imaging and laser range finders.
The statement described them as military- or defence-grade equipment. The devices were valued at more than ₹1.03 crore. Officials said they required mandatory registration with India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation.
The passengers were apprehended and the goods seized under the Customs Act, 1962. Further investigation is under way, the statement said. The source material does not identify the intended recipient of the drones, explain why the equipment was being transported or indicate whether any charges had been filed against the passengers.
The seizure followed the passengers’ interception at the green channel rather than after the equipment had left the airport. Customs officers then examined the baggage and relied on the technical assessment to determine the characteristics and regulatory status of the drones. The case involves both the import of the aircraft and the equipment supplied with them.
The officials’ description of the drones as requiring registration establishes that the devices fall within India’s aviation regulatory framework, while the investigation will determine the circumstances of their attempted entry and any further action.
This independently written report is based on information supplied by the named publisher. Vertrix News has not independently verified the source report.