The sight of a drone swiftly buzzing by has become a common sight in recent years. While there’s no denying the plethora of advantages they bring to the table, they also can quickly turn into a challenge in places of high security. One place that has been bearing the brunt of it is airports. An illicit drone flying in its airspace can disrupt operations and cause serious damage to both aircraft and passengers. This looming threat has made anti-drone systems for airports more crucial than ever.
The popularity of drones has had a transformational effect across various industries. From aiding scientific research to helping disaster relief, they have helped us access areas previously considered inaccessible. However, they can quickly turn into a disaster waiting to happen if misused near airports. From emergency landings to flight delays and even crashes can happen if these unmanned aerial vehicles find their way into the runaways. This is a cause of serious concern among aviation authorities, raising the need for a drone defender in airports.
C-UAS for airports have been created to identify, track, and neutralize illicit drones that could thwart normal airport operations. They use a range of high-tech devices, such as drone tracking cameras and GPS spoofers to keep a constant eye on the sky and bring down unauthorized drones that have made their way into the restricted airspace of an airport. Here’s how they work.
Drone Detection – The system first detects the frequencies that the drone is using to communicate with its operator. The most common drones operate on common RF bands like 2.4 GHz or 5.8 GHz.
Tracking – Once a drone has been detected, these gadgets track the movement of the UAV. This helps the operators determine the intentions of the drone and then decide the next course of action.
Signal Interference– Once a drone has been detected, the counter UAV system emits its RF signal, interfering with the drone’s communication with its owner. This triggers the drone’s failsafe protocol that causes them to either land, hover, or return to the source.
While the benefits of an anti-drone system at an airport are abundantly clear, there are a host of challenges to it as well. One major factor is the cost of implementation. Developing and incorporating these systems can get expensive, making it harder for smaller airports to access.
Another issue is the risk of false alarms. Many systems can produce unnecessary alarms, resulting in misuse of resources and undermining the severity of actual threats.
Fortunately, some companies have produced anti-drone systems with low false alarms and affordable rates that make it accessible for all airports, big or small.
The risks that illicit drones pose to airports can’t be overstated. But the silver lining is the presence of anti-drone devices, such as drone jamming devices that make it much easier for security personnel to tackle the issue. While drones are here to stay, you can rest assured that your airspace is safe from their disruption and the harm they can cause.