Railway drone operations over tracks, stations and other facilities are facing tighter enforcement after a court in Kollam fined a man and ordered one day of community service for flying a drone illegally over the Kappil-Edava railway line in Kerala.
The conviction has prompted Southern Railway to warn the public against unauthorised drone flights and entry into restricted railway areas. The railway authority said permissions from competent authorities are mandatory for filming involving railway property, including tracks, bridges, stations and other facilities.
The Kollam railway court highlighted the risks that unauthorised drone operations can create for railway infrastructure, electrical installations and public safety. The action comes after provisions of the Jan Vishwas Act were amended this year, according to the report.
Southern Railway has also asked people to avoid entering railway tracks, bridges and other restricted locations for photography, videography or drone operations. The warning applies to content creators, vloggers and rail enthusiasts who film trains, railway bridges, tunnels and scenic stretches for publication on social media.
Drone videos of trains, including Vande Bharat services, have attracted interest among rail fans and online audiences. The railway action could therefore affect a growing category of social media content that depends on access to railway property and aerial footage. However, the authority’s warning makes clear that filming railway assets cannot be treated as a routine public-space activity when it involves restricted areas or drone flights.
The railway system combines open passenger spaces with operational zones that contain moving trains, overhead electrical equipment, signalling assets and maintenance infrastructure. The court’s observations, as reported, place unauthorised drone use within that wider safety concern rather than treating it only as a photography violation.
Southern Railway has previously acted against people who filmed reels on trains while putting themselves at risk, as well as individuals who entered the locomotive cabin of a Vande Bharat train. The report also notes that restrictions exist on taking photographs and videos at railway stations and on trains, although enforcement against ordinary mobile-phone filming has been less frequent.
The latest warning establishes that any drone filming involving railway property must first receive permission from the relevant authority. The railway administration’s stated next step is enforcement against unauthorised operations and restricted-area access across its network.
