Safety hazards and impacts brought by drones

Nowadays, drones are more and more widely used in life, like aerial photography, logistics, agriculture and other fields can see its figure. But at the same time, drones also bring some problems. For example, some drones fly recklessly near airports, seriously interfering with the normal takeoff and landing of airplanes. According to statistics, a number of near-collisions between drones and airplanes have occurred around the world in recent years, leaving airport staff and passengers in a cold sweat. 

There are also some people who use drones to snoop on other people's privacy and take pictures of things they shouldn't, which brings trouble to individuals' lives. What's more, drones are used for illegal activities such as smuggling, drug trafficking, and even converted into “bomb drones” to carry out terrorist attacks, seriously threatening social security and stability.

Uncovering the “Mystery Veil” of Anti-drone

Various Detection Sensors: Photoelectric/infrared sensors are important “eyes” of anti-drone. They can detect drones based on the visible, infrared or ultraviolet wavelengths of light they emit. It's like being able to see the drone's every move in the dark. However, these “eyes” can sometimes be affected by weather and light, and not be able to see very well. The radar system detects drones by transmitting radio waves and receiving the reflected signals.

It has the advantage of being able to see farther without being affected by light, but the resolution is relatively low and can be a bit “blinding” to some small drones. Acoustic sensors, on the other hand, rely on capturing the sound emitted by the drone to locate it, but their detection distance is relatively short, and in noisy environments, they may be “deaf” and difficult to distinguish the sound of the drone.

RF monitoring technology: When a drone is flying, it needs radio waves to receive control signals and transmit data. RF monitoring equipment is like a “listening ear” that can capture these signals to detect the presence of the drone, and may also be able to obtain information about the drone's operator. However, if the drone does not transmit wireless signals, or uses encryption technology such as frequency hopping, the “ear of the wind” will not be able to play a role.

Artificial Intelligence Recognition Algorithms: With the help of artificial intelligence algorithms, it is possible to analyze and recognize the drone's images, signals, and other features. It can quickly and accurately identify drones from a large number of objects, and can also determine the type of drone, flight status, and so on. For example, by analyzing the profile, flight path and other features of the drone, the AI algorithm can determine whether it is a small drone for civilian use or a reconnaissance drone for military use.

Anti-drone countermeasures and countermeasures against drones

Jamming signals: By transmitting jamming signals to prevent the drone from receiving control commands or transmitting data, it is like building an “invisible wall” between the drone and the operator. If the drone does not receive commands, it will automatically return or land. However, jamming signals may have a certain impact on other electronic equipment in the vicinity, and some advanced drones have anti-jamming capabilities and are less susceptible to jamming signals.

Directed Energy Weapons: Directed Energy Weapons (DEWs) are high-tech anti-drone tactics. For example, high-energy laser weapons can send out strong laser beams to accurately irradiate key parts of the drone, such as batteries, cameras, flight control systems, etc., so as to make it lose its functions. It has the advantage of being fast, accurate, low-cost, and can effectively stop drone threats without causing too much collateral damage. 

However, laser weapons have certain requirements for atmospheric conditions, and the transmission and focusing effects of lasers are affected in bad weather such as dense fog and heavy rain. High-power microwave weapons, on the other hand, interferes with or burns the electronic components of drones by transmitting high-energy microwave pulses, making them unable to work normally. It has a relatively wide range of action and can deal with multiple drone targets at the same time in a short period of time.

Network Attack : Hackers can use network technology to hack into the control system of a drone and gain control. It is like “taking over the nest”, making the drone obediently follow the hacker's instructions, or directly making the drone out of control. However, cyber-attacks require a high level of technical skill and are becoming more difficult as security measures for drones continue to be upgraded.

Physical interception : Use weapons such as missiles and artillery shells to directly shoot down the drone, or launch capture nets to entangle the drone so that it cannot fly. This method has a direct effect, but poses a risk to the surrounding environment and the safety of personnel, and is costly. They are generally used only when the drone poses a serious threat to an important target and when other means are ineffective.

Future trends in anti-drone development

With the continuous progress of drone technology, anti-drone technology is also developing rapidly. In the future, anti-UAV systems will be more intelligent, integrated and diversified. A variety of detection technologies and countermeasures will be closely integrated to form an all-round, multi-level defense network. For example, radar, optoelectronic sensors and acoustic sensors will be fused together to improve the precision and reliability of drone detection. 

At the same time, artificial intelligence and big data technology will be utilized to assess and predict drone threats in real time and take effective countermeasures in advance. In addition, anti-drone technology will also pay more attention to compatibility with existing air defence systems and the ability to work together, realizing resource sharing and complementary advantages, in order to cope with the increasingly complex drone threat environment.

In today's era of rapid development of drone technology, we need to see the convenience it brings, but also pay attention to its potential harm. Understanding the knowledge of anti-drone will not only enable us to better deal with the possible threats brought by drones, but also promote the healthy and orderly development of the drone industry. Hopefully, in the near future, drones will be able to better serve our lives and work under effective regulation.