Drones: The threat they pose and how to address them
Drone is a loose term used to refer to any kind of remote-controlled or autonomous, unmanned airborne vehicle. More accurately known as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), drones can range from small, toy drones to military unmanned aircraft.
Like many other up-and-coming technologies out there, drones can also pose a threat to the safety and security of the public, especially as recently, the utilisation of drones has ventured out of military use and into civilian sectors.
In 2018, at Gatwick Airport near London, hundreds of flights had to be cancelled over three days due to reports of drone sightings near the airport’s runway. A similar case occurred the following month at Heathrow, which resulted in the delays of a number of flights. Following the incident, the UK government gave the police new powers to address the illegal use of drones, including fines and confiscation of drones suspected of illegal use.
Various other cases also emerged, including when a Premier League game had to be suspended due to a drone flying over the pitch. Additionally, there are also several confirmed drone-related aviation accidents worldwide.
This gives rise to the concern of how drones can be used to jeopardise safety and the question of how to mitigate and stop drone-related threats.
Counter-drone monitoring strategies
Similar but different, unmanned aerial systems (UAS) refer to equipment and systems required to communicate and control drones remotely. Addressing the growing use of civilian-grade drones, there are several counter-UAS (C-UAS) strategies that can be adopted to tackle potential threats that may arise from them.
These technologies are generally divided into two types based on what they are used for. The first is equipment designed to detect, locate, and monitor drone activities, including radar sensors, radio frequency (RF) analysers and jammers, acoustic sensors or microphones, and optical sensors or cameras.
Some of these C-UAS technologies can only be used to detect and monitor drones, such is the case for most radars. Some others, including RF analysers, can be used to identify the type of drone and may even be used to track communications between the drone and controller, including tracking the operators’ MAC address, usually for prosecution purposes.
Drone countermeasures
Going one step further, the second type of C-UAS technology is used as a countermeasure to neutralise or destroy the drones. It is important to note, however, that the technology is prohibited by regulations of most countries, save for application by law enforcement or the military.
Counter-measure technologies have been developed to mitigate the risks posed by drones effectively. These include RF jammers, which can disrupt the radio communication between a drone and its controller. This disruption may result in the drone being forced to land, entering an uncontrolled descent, or changing its flight direction.
Additionally, net guns provide a physical means to bring down a drone. This method is particularly useful if the objective is to seize the drone for analysis, identify the perpetrator, or gather evidence for prosecution purposes. GPS spoofers are another sophisticated approach. They interfere with a drone’s GPS coordinates in real time, effectively hijacking the control of the drone. This allows the user to redirect the drone away from sensitive or restricted areas.
Marengo advises clients to employ the strategy best suited for their needs and circumstances, including the applicable regulations in their respective jurisdictions. Security companies like Marengo can provide you with expert insight into drone-related threat profiles and advise you in choosing the best possible options for counter-drone strategies.
