The initiative is aimed at preventing illegal fishing activities, unauthorised trespassing, and cross-border violations by fishing boats entering from Karaikal in Puducherry and neighbouring regions of Tamil Nadu.

It may be noted that instances of unauthorised entry of fishing boats into the territorial waters of Nellore district have been reported frequently in recent years, raising concerns over marine resource exploitation, coastal security, law enforcement, and conflicts with local fishermen communities.

The proposed drones will have a surveillance coverage range of up to 25 km, enabling wide-area coastal monitoring. The system will feature real-time GPS tracking integrated with live video recording facilities, along with in-built microphones and high-decibel sirens to issue warnings and deter unauthorised fishing activity.

“The drone system would significantly improve monitoring capacity by enabling early detection of unauthorised fishing activities and facilitating rapid response by enforcement authorities.

The project is also expected to strengthen coastal security, safeguard marine resources, and protect the interests of local fishermen communities in the district,” said TDP Rajya Sabha member Dr Beedha Masthan Rao Yadav.

As part of the enforcement mechanism, the drone system will broadcast a standard warning announcement to fishing boats entering Andhra Pradesh territorial waters without permission.