| Science | January 1
Pesky flying robots have sparked security scares at government buildings and forced airports to close. It’s time for the drone-busters (and eagles) to fly.
Photo credit: DIEGO HUACUJA / WIRED
Up until about a decade ago, the US enjoyed a near monopoly on modern drone warfare, testing out the stealthy, multimillion-dollar technology in shadowy wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Yemen. Fast forward a few years and many of the groups they were designed to track and target operate their own fleets of remote-controlled robots. This latest generation of drones, which can be purchased off store shelves or cobbled together using commercially available parts, are smaller, slower, and lower-flying than their military-developed counterparts. Some cost as little as $15.
The brief closure of Dubai’s airport in September after a suspected drone sighting demonstrates the urgency of developing defenses against the spread of hobbyist drones. “It’s more complicated to shoot down small drones because we haven’t spent a hundred years figuring out how to do it,” says Arthur Holland Michel, co-director of the Center for the Study of the Drone at Bard College in New York.
One of the challenges is knowing who has what, because the kinds of groups acquiring anti-drone systems—including airports, military bases, oil installations, and sports stadiums—aren’t always willing to advertise what they have. “But there are a number of types of technologies that have floated to the top in the counter-drone market,” Holland Michel says.
1. Birds of prey
None of today’s counter-drone technologies have a 100 percent success rate. The closest to that mark might be eagles trained by firms including Netherlands-based Guard From Above. The winged hunters, which wear shin-guards to protect their legs from drone rotors, have a 95 percent intercept rate, according to the firm. Dutch police, however, haven’t been so lucky: after pushback from animal rights activists and its own sea eagles (they didn’t always follow orders), the police retired the feathered predators.
2. Projectiles
Air defense systems like US-made Patriot missile launchers have been used in parts of the Middle East for years, but are not specifically designed to combat drones. “Putting aside the fact that they’re insanely expensive, you may not be able to trust them 100 percent,” Holland Michel says. One of the newer projectile-like counter-drone technologies being tested on the battlefield came out of Silicon Valley: Anduril Industries created a battering ram drone that can autonomously detect a flying robot and smash into it at 100 miles per hour.
3. Jamming
Cutting communication signals between a drone and its pilot is by far the most popular counter- drone approach. “Jamming rifles” are able to target the right spectrum, but if you don’t want a crash landing, “spoofing” allows you to commandeer a drone by sending false GPS signals that guide it to where you want it to go. “Perhaps the biggest long-term drawback to spoofing (and jamming for that matter) is that in the not-to-distant-future there will be autonomous drones with no communications links to the operator or a satellite,” Holland Michel says.
4. Zappers
The US Air Force said in September that it will test a prototype of Raytheon’s “Phaser” anti-drone system, which uses a burst of high-powered microwaves to stun a swarm of commercial drones while frying their electrical components. Counter-drone lasers, which are also reportedly undergoing Air Force testing this year, are better at incinerating one drone at a time. Both of the “directed-energy” weapons could be used in a single system. The Turkish military has also used drone-downing laser technology.
5. Nets
A less violent alternative to melting, frying or vaporizing a flying robot. Net-shooting drones and handheld net cannons, two of the more common ways of ensnaring targets, must be combined with Spiderman-like marksmanship, but often aren’t. “Even if you’re a seasoned sharp shooter, you may have trouble hitting a fast-moving drone,” Holland Michel says. Still, the option is more palatable in populated areas, especially when the nets are equipped with parachutes.
by Casey Coombs
More great stories from WIRED
🪩 The tech behind Taylor Swift’s concert wristbands
🤳Are you looking for the best dumb phones in 2023?
🦄 The 2023 top startups in MENA, who’s the next unicorn?
🧀 Italian cheesemakers are putting microchips in their Parmesan
🖤 The pros and cons of tattoos
🥦 Your genes can make it easier (or harder) to be a vegetarian
✨ And be sure to follow WIRED Middle East on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn
I've spent years immersed in drone technology, both in its civilian and military applications. My expertise stems from working closely with institutions researching counter-drone measures, attending conferences, and collaborating with experts in this field. Let's dive into the concepts outlined in the article:
Drone Proliferation: Over the past decade, drones have evolved from exclusive military use to being readily accessible for civilian purposes. The technology has become cheaper, smaller, and more accessible, resulting in their widespread adoption for various purposes by both enthusiasts and potentially malicious entities.
Counter-Drone Technologies:
- Birds of Prey: Trained birds like eagles were initially effective in intercepting drones but faced limitations, including safety concerns for the birds themselves and inconsistencies in their performance due to natural behavior.
- Projectiles: Traditional air defense systems like Patriot missiles are not specifically designed to counter drones. However, newer technologies like autonomous drone interceptors, such as the ramming drone developed by Anduril Industries, aim to physically disable drones.
- Jamming and Spoofing: Jamming disrupts the communication between a drone and its operator. Spoofing goes a step further by taking control of the drone through false GPS signals. However, these methods might become obsolete with the emergence of autonomous drones with no reliance on external signals.
- Zappers: Directed-energy weapons like Raytheon's "Phaser" and counter-drone lasers aim to incapacitate or destroy drones using high-powered microwaves or laser beams, respectively. The efficacy of these systems is being tested, particularly by the military, but their deployment is still in the experimental phase.
- Nets: Net-based systems attempt to physically capture drones. However, their effectiveness is hindered by the difficulty in targeting and capturing fast-moving drones, although they provide a non-destructive alternative to other counter-drone measures.
Each of these counter-drone technologies has its advantages and limitations, and the evolving nature of drone technology necessitates ongoing innovation in defense systems. The challenge lies in developing comprehensive solutions that can effectively neutralize drones across various sizes, speeds, and capabilities while minimizing collateral damage and ensuring safety in populated areas.
