Drone Threats Faced by Major Security Events Abroad
Major international security events are increasingly facing threats from drones, especially in three key areas: international sports events, large-scale cultural activities, and the protection of heads of state. Taking the 2024 Paris Olympics as an example, French law enforcement intercepted 53 drones during the Games. Some of these cases were due to civilians flying drones in restricted zones, in poor weather, or for aerial filming during the opening ceremony. While not all incidents were malicious, due to strict no-fly rules in place during the Games, such flights still posed potential security threats.
To address these drone-related risks, the French Army conducted early-year training exercises to familiarize deployed personnel with anti-drone equipment. These included 15 heavy-duty counter-drone units capable of disabling drones from miles away, anti-drone rifles that disrupt drone signals, and laser systems that can disable drones by shooting them down when necessary. Additionally,French police and military forces deployed the drone jamming devices countrywide, with hundreds of officers sourced internationally to ensure security in Paris and Olympic venues.
A comprehensive analysis of similar cases shows that drone threats during security events can generally be classified into six main types:
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Information theft and intelligence gathering
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Disruption of event order
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Physical damage
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Communication interference
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Targeted assassination of dignitaries
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Terrorist attacks
Multi-Layered Drone Mitigation Countermeasures to Disable Drones and Protect Major Events
Response strategies should involve precise assessment of the threat level posed by drones in major events, considering factors such as the importance of the event, number of participants, and venue environment. The security needs must cover personnel protection, facility protection, and information protection.
At a strategic level, the approach should be planned across three dimensions:
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Advance deployment
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Reconnaissance and monitoring
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Active countermeasures
In terms of implementation, emphasis should be placed on a multi-dimensional drone mitigation and control system, including human, physical, and technical measures.
Human-based defenses include forming professional security teams. For example, the United States deploys trained personnel during major events to improve drone threat recognition and response. Countries like Israel use intelligence gathering and analysis to predict drone incursion routes and methods.
Hard skill drone mitigation measures involve setting up barriers such as protective nets or roadblocks around venues to restrict drone access and create no-fly security zones.
Soft skill drone mitigation methods include the use of advanced detection technologies, like multi-sensor fusion systems for accurate drone tracking, and active countermeasures such as radio frequency jammers. For instance, Israel’s Iron Beam systememits directional RF interference signals to disable drones by severing their communication links.
