pollution: Delhi govt tests drone-based mist spraying to combat pollution

To curb rising air pollution in the national capital, the Delhi government on Friday tested ‘drone-based mist spraying’ at Anand Vihar, one of the city’s pollution hotspots. During the testing, Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai said that pollution levels in the hotspots are higher than the average Air Quality Index (AQI) in the capital. “Today’s demonstration at Anand Vihar — a known pollution hotspot — aims to address this issue,” Rai said.

“Pollution levels are elevated at 13 hotspots across Delhi, and this pilot project allows us to test drone-based mist spraying in areas where conventional anti-smog guns can’t reach,” the minister said.

The drones used in the testing can carry up to 15 litres of water and release a fine mist to control airborne pollutants, especially in the congested and inaccessible areas.

A report on the effectiveness of the mist-spraying drones will be submitted to the environment department and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) to assess further steps, Rai said.

He also said this pilot is part of the broader Winter Action Plan introduced on September 25, which focuses on 21 key actions to manage winter pollution.

Aa part of these initiatives, drone technology is being explored as a modern solution to reach the pollution-prone areas which the traditional spraying methods struggle to cover. According to Rai, there are specific action plans for Delhi’s 13 hotspots where 13 coordination teams will address localised sources of pollution.

Eighty mobile anti-smog guns and 68 static anti-smog guns have been deployed across these hotspots to control dust on the roads and in the open areas, the minister said.

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has been instructed to intensify inspections in these areas, while officials from 13 departments are monitoring the construction sites across the city to check compliance with the anti-pollution guidelines, Rai said.

He also pointed out that 200 mobile anti-smog guns are operating across all the 70 Assembly constituencies in the national capital, while 146 anti-smog guns have been installed atop high-rise apartments to counteract dust in the air.

“Drone technology offers a valuable approach to target and control pollution sources, especially in dense urban spaces and industrial areas where traditional spraying isn’t feasible,” Rai said.

“If successful, this pilot will pave the way for broader deployment of drones to combat pollution throughout the capital,” he added.

Meanwhile, Delhi’s air quality is deteriorating each day, with more than 15 monitoring stations currently reporting AQI levels in the “severe” category.

According to AQI classifications, a 0-50 range is considered “good”, 51-100 “satisfactory”, 101-200 “moderate”, 201-300 “poor”, 301-400 “very poor”, and 401-500 “severe”.