SDM college faculty receives DRDO funds to track enemies

Two faculty members of Sri Dharmasthala Manjunatheshwara College of Engineering and Technology, Dharwad have received grants from The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for developing a technology that can improve enemy surveillance using aerial imagery.

Institute’s Computer Science Department professor Archana Nandibevur and professor Aijazahmed Qazi have been tasked to write an advanced algorithm to ‘Design and performance analysis of a robust algorithm for surveillance and object reconnaissance using enhanced aerial imagery’.

For this, the two have received grants of Rs 30.51 lakh. Their work is expected to help not only identify the camouflaged enemy but also the weapons they are carrying using the aerial imagery that is captured by drones.

The project will be monitored by senior Principal Scientist Dr P V Sathyanarayan Murthy. Speaking to DH, Dr Archana said DRDO regularly lists projects on their official website. “In 2019, I stumbled upon one such project:‘Design and performance analysis of a robust algorithm for surveillance and object reconnaissance using enhanced aerial imagery’. I had sent a report in this regard and the experts at DRDO accept my report and have given this research work to us,” she said.

“Our task would be to process low-resolution images taken from drones to the minutest details possible using advanced algorithm. The images should be enhanced to such a level that it could bust the camouflage of enemy uniform and weapons that they are carrying,” she said and added that it is a three-year project and they would be constantly receiving inputs from the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research- National Aerospace Laboratories (CSIR-NAL) and DRDO scientists.

Of the Rs 30.5 lakh, the DRDO has made provisions for Archana to purchase equipment work Rs 13 lakh. “As per the advice of DRDO scientists, we are buying a drone and Spectral cameras, which can provide us high-resolution images,” she said and added that the entire research would be used for military purposes.