Flight at low altitude leaves residents worried in Chikkamagaluru, district police says it is part of survey conducted by GSI

The aircraft that flew at low altitude over parts of Chikkamagaluru district, leaving the residents in shock, was part of a survey being conducted by the Geological Survey of India (GSI), said a press release issued by the Chikkamagaluru district police on Friday.

The district police issued the statement after people in parts of N.R. Pura, Koppa, and Kalasa taluks reported an aircraft flying at low altitude recently. The residents were suspicious and worried about the flight operation.

The release stated that Xcalibur McPhar Pvt. Ltd. conducted a survey for the GSI. It operated an aircraft from Himalayan Heli Services for the survey work. The flight operated over parts of Balehonnur, Kalasa, Lakkavalli, Lingadahalli, and Tarikere from 11.16 a.m. to 1.21 p.m. on February 9, and again on February 12 from 12.42 p.m. to 5.15 p.m., the release stated.

Letter to DC

The GSI, working under the Ministry of Mines, has been conducting investigations to gather geoscientific data for subsurface structure mapping and mineral exploration, according to a letter written by the GSI to the Deputy Commissioner of Chikkamagaluru in September 2025.

The survey is part of the approved Annual Programme for the Field Season (FS) of 2025-26, and the GSI Southern Region, located in Hyderabad, has been assigned the responsibility of carrying out ground gravity and magnetic survey projects. The survey, conducted under the National Geophysical Mapping Programme, will cover parts of the North Goa district of Goa, Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra, Udupi, Shivamogga, Chikkamagaluru, and Kodagu districts of Karnataka, as well as Kozhikode, Kannur, and Wayanad districts of Kerala, according to the letter.

The GSI, in its letter, sought the cooperation of the local authorities for field investigations that could continue until March 2026.