Kochi Metro Rail allowed to deploy drones for water transport project February 18, 2021 The Union Civil Aviation Ministry on Wednesday granted conditional permission for the use of drones to the Kochi Metro Rail. Drones will be used for Integrated Urban Regeneration and Water Transport System Project (IURWTS), which aims to makes canals in the city navigable. The permission is valid until the end of the year. Kochi has five major canals, spread across 34 kilometres, and the project’s core idea is to develop the city’s urban area for inland navigation, and increase last mile connectivity. Drones will be used for mapping the waterbodies to obtain topographical data, so that a navigable path can be chalked out around the canals.