UAV sighted over Delhi international airport in October: Government

NEW DELHI: The government today said sighting of an unmanned aerial vehicle over the Indira Gandhi International Airport here was reported in October.

In a written reply to the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Mahesh Sharma said the incident was reported on October 26, 2015 and an FIR was filed with the Delhi Police the next day.

"One incident of sighting of unmanned aerial vehicle over Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport was reported on October 26, 2015 at 0751 hours," he said.

Further, Sharma said that pilots of Jet Airways flight nos 816 and 746 landing at IGI Airport on November 16, "reported being inconvenienced by flashing lights".

"Preliminary inquiry has been conducted and the reports have not been confirmed by any photographic or documentary evidence except for witness accounts," he added.

The Minister was responding to a query on whether the government is aware of frequent incidents of sighting of unidentified flying objects, drones, unmanned aerial vehicles ( UAV)s, flashing of laser lights within the no-fly zone at the IGI and other airports.

Sharma also said radars in operation at airports are not outdated and are capable to detect any object beyond a height of 2,000 feet.

Currently, there are no regulations for UAVs while civil use of drones by non-government agencies have been restricted by aviation regulator DGCA.

In a separate written reply, the Minister said the government has reviewed the present state of infrastructure facilities at Terminal 1D of the IGI Airport.

Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) -- the airport operator -- has been directed to take necessary steps for "de -congestion of the terminal," Sharma noted.