A Quick Guide to the Why and How of Counter Drone Systems
Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are popular across multiple sectors, including media, law enforcement, military, sports, research, and development, among other areas. The use of drone saves costs and improves efficiency in data collection, logistics, and aerial photography, among other areas.
But much of the focus lately has shifted from these benefits to the drawbacks of drone technology. The misuse of drones has seen an upsurge in drone defence technologies.
Massive Drone Disruption
One of the biggest 2018 news events in the UK was the closure of Gatwick Airport in December. There couldn’t have been a worse time for such disruption to happen. This is one of the country’s busiest airports handling over 45 million passengers and over 200,000 aircrafts each year. Until 2016 this was the world's busiest single-runway airport.
But everything came to a halt in December 2018 with a three-day closure caused by drone sightings. It was an event that increased the debate on drone use in the UK and necessitated calls for regulation of these devices.
While the closure cost the airport just £1.4 million, airlines took the fall for the disruptions. The 33 hours closure cost airlines an estimated £50 million ($64.5 million).
But it was not the cost that riled the industry but rather the cause. While drones are no doubt a revolutionary technology, this event revealed a dark side of the technology.
Other Pertinent Drone Risks
Drone technology also poses other risks including military and corporate espionage, use for weapon transportation, smuggling, the intrusion of privacy, among other malicious applications. This is where drone defence systems come in handy.
Best Counter Drone Technology
If you want to protect your facility against unauthorised aerial vehicles, there are various counter-drone technology options.
The best counter-UAS, C-UAS, or counter-UAV technology detects, identifies, classifies and neutralise a drone in different ways.
Some of these systems include:
- Drone Monitoring Equipment
This is an anti-drone system that detects, classifies, locates, tracks and alerts you about an unmanned aerial vehicle. Under this category, you have different devices leveraging specific technology to carry out drone defence.
They include Radio Frequency (RF) Analysers, acoustic sensors (microphones), optical sensors (cameras), and the drone radar system.
- Drone Countermeasures Equipment
After the detection and identification of a drone, it is important to take countermeasures to protect yourself. The best drone countermeasure systems act by physically destroying the drone, neutralising the drone, or taking control of the drone.
When looking for drone countermeasure technology, it is important to research the laws guiding the use of these devices. For now, most of these are available to the military and law enforcement.
This equipment range includes birds of prey, drone jamming device, nets, and net gunsGPSspoofers, high power microwave (HPM) devices and high-energy lasers, among others.
Each of these technologies has its pros and cons, and they work best in specific situations. It is important to assess the threat posed by drones in your area before investing in any of these technologies.
Shopping for Counter Drone technology
If you have identified drones as a threat to your business or property, it is advisable to invest in the best counter-drone system. When shopping for such technology, make sure it is legal and look for expert reviews of its application.
If possible, ask for referrals from the vendor or demonstration of the technology at work. It is important to go for UK suppliers who can offer after-sales service, including technical support.
These suppliers also adhere to the strict regulations on counter-drone technology. You should also take time to research different drone countermeasures available on the market. This helps you make an informed choice.
Counter drone technology is now necessary to protect against myriad dangers posed by unregulated drone use in the UK. With the best drone defence system, you can protect your business, guarantee your privacy, and enjoy peace of mind knowing there’s no one hovering around your property.
Rinicom is an award-winning SME supplying one of the best counter drone systems in the country. The Lancaster based tech company provides cutting edge tech solutions to first responders, law enforcement agencies, and critical civilian infrastructure protection. Their security systems rate among the best in the market. stigious Queen’s Award for Enterprise in 2013 and 2018.