As drones become more affordable, unauthorized UAVs are increasingly invading sensitive airspace, posing significant risks to government, military, and critical infrastructure. To counter these threats, it is essential to understand various drone countermeasures.
1. Kinetic Drone Countermeasures
Physical Capture:
Civilian drones, especially those that are "low, slow, and small," are generally slower, fly at lower altitudes, and have smaller sizes, making them easier to physically capture. One method involves using nets to capture drones, either with net guns or larger drones equipped to deploy nets. This approach is cost-effective and minimizes damage to the target drone. However, net guns have limited range, and large drones that carry nets require skilled operators. Another solution involves training birds of prey, like eagles, to take down drones. While environmentally friendly and low-cost, this approach requires long training periods and has limited scalability.
Traditional Weapon Strikes:
"Low, slow, small" drones typically follow pre-planned flight paths and are slow to change direction, making them vulnerable to traditional weapon systems like ground-to-air rockets. Though effective, this method is costly and presents safety risks.
Drone-to-Drone Combat:
Drones are more affordable than traditional weapons, allowing for direct counteraction by using drones to collide with or mount weapons on target drones. However, this requires skilled operators and poses risks of collateral damage due to crashed drones.
Directed Energy Weapons (DEW):
Directed energy weapons use high temperatures, ionization, radiation, or sound waves to create intense energy densities on target drones. These weapons come in four categories, each with distinct advantages and challenges.
2. Non-kinetic Drone Countermeasures
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Jamming Navigation System:
"Low, slow, small" drones often rely on GPS-assisted inertial navigation systems (INS). GPS signals are weak due to the vast distance between satellites and the ground. Jamming GPS signals with powerful interference can disrupt the drone's navigation system, causing it to lose position and potentially crash. -
Jamming Data Transmission:
Drones communicate with ground control stations via data links. Jamming these links with powerful interference signals causes the drone to lose control, resulting in it drifting off course or crashing.
3. Spoofing Jamming Drone Countermeasures
Navigation System Deceptive Jamming:
Deceptive jamming devices emit false GPS signals that mimic legitimate ones but are much stronger. When the drone receives these false signals, its navigation system misinterprets its position, causing it to fly off course.
Data Link Deceptive Jamming:
Similar to GPS jamming, deceptive jamming can target the drone’s data link by emitting fake signals, leading the drone to lose control and behave unpredictably.
4. Hacker Attack Drone Countermeasure
Many “illegal flights” are operated by people, using mobile phones or tablets via Wi-Fi. Hackers can take control of these drones. There are two main methods:
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They hack the mobile or tablet that controls the drone to gain indirect control.
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And sending malicious commands to the control device, such as MITM, hijacking, or DoS attacks.
5. Camouflage and Deception Drone Countermeasure
To prevent illegal drone flights over sensitive areas, technologies like optical camouflage, thermal infrared imaging, and electronic jamming can obscure or hide critical zones, making it difficult for drones to detect them. This approach is effective against less intelligent drones but less so against advanced, autonomous drones.
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