Understanding Anti-Drone Technology

With the rapid development of drone technology, the drone market is emerging and expanding, with significant advancements in both military and civilian fields.In the civilian sector, drones play an important role in agricultural protection, disaster relief, logistics transportation, and security inspections.

In the military sector, drones, due to their characteristics of high altitude, high speed, stealth, and long endurance, are taking on increasingly important tasks in battlefield surveillance, intelligence gathering, electronic reconnaissance, command communication, electronic attacks, and firepower strikes.

At the same time, the threats and risks posed by drones are gradually becoming apparent.In recent years, incidents of drone attacks or intrusions have occurred in key areas such as military bases, nuclear power plants, and oil fields abroad.On the battlefield, drones have also demonstrated strong destructive power and precise lethality.As the offensive spear grows sharper, the defensive shield thickens. In the face of the “fierce offensive” of drones, countries around the world are accelerating the development of anti-drone technology.So, how much do you know about anti-drone technology? Let’s follow along to learn more about it!

What is Anti-Drone Technology?Anti-drone technology refers to the means or measures that can detect drones and render them ineffective, mainly achieved by integrating or improving existing advanced technologies to detect, track, identify, interfere with, deceive, control, or destroy drone targets.Overall, anti-drone technology is a complex system engineering project, generally implemented in two steps:

1. Accurately detect, track, and identify drones;

2. Based on the actual situation, counteract the drones to force them to land, return, or be destroyed.

What are the Main Types of Anti-Drone Technology?Anti-drone technology can be roughly divided into two main categories based on functionality: one is drone detection technology, and the other is drone countermeasure technology.Drone Detection TechnologyFirst, let’s talk about drone detection technology.Drone detection technology utilizes various sensors to “discover” or “find” threat targets, using the physical properties of the target drone (such as optical, thermal, acoustic, and magnetic characteristics) to identify the target drone through measurements of these characteristics.Currently, common drone detection methods include radar detection, radio frequency spectrum detection, electro-optical detection, and acoustic detection, each with its own characteristics and applicable scenarios.1. Radar DetectionRadar detection involves radar systems emitting electromagnetic waves to detect and measure the position of drones based on the principle of electromagnetic wave reflection from the drone’s body.By receiving and analyzing the reflected radar waves, information about the drone target can be obtained.Radar has advantages such as long detection range, accurate positioning, fast response, minimal weather impact, and high technological maturity.When the detectability of the drone meets the radar’s resolution, radar can achieve very good reconnaissance detection results.However, radar detection technology has blind spots at close range and struggles to detect drone targets made of non-conductive materials like plastic or certain metals that allow waves to pass through.When a drone hovers or moves slowly, the low Doppler frequency shift makes it difficult for radar to detect the drone target.2. Radio Frequency Spectrum DetectionGenerally, during a drone’s flight, the internal flight control system and video transmission system emit radio signals.Radio frequency spectrum detection monitors unencrypted control and video transmission signals to achieve precise positioning of the target drone.Compared to radar detection technology, radio frequency spectrum detection devices are more cost-effective and can meet large-scale defense needs.However, cracking encrypted signals requires significant time, which is not conducive to improving tracking efficiency.Moreover, if the drone is in autonomous cruise mode or remains silent without transmitting signals, radio frequency spectrum detection will not be effective.3. Electro-Optical Detection

Electro-optical detection devices can capture images of target drones using different wavelength bands, commonly including visible light, infrared, thermal infrared, and laser infrared.

Analyzing and processing images from these bands can detect, identify, and track drone targets, obtaining information about their type and location.

Electro-optical detection has two main types of technology:visible light detection and infrared detection.

Visible Light Detectionutilizes various imaging devices operating in the visible light band to detect video images of target drones, thereby identifying and confirming the target and tracking it.

This technology is suitable for daytime use, with relatively low equipment costs and mature related technologies, making it widely applicable.

However, the detection effect of visible light is significantly affected by weather conditions, and its performance deteriorates in low visibility.

Infrared Detectionmonitors targets by detecting the infrared radiation difference between the background and the drone target, first capturing images of the target and its background, and then using a series of image processing techniques to detect, identify, and track the target.

In fact, all objects with a temperature above absolute zero emit infrared radiation, and drones generate heat from their batteries and motors during flight, providing opportunities for infrared detection technology.

Infrared detection is susceptible to interference from various heat sources and sunlight, making it more suitable for nighttime use.When the drone is at a considerable distance, it occupies very few pixels in the detection image, making it challenging to distinguish the drone pixels from noise, thus complicating the balance between missed detection rates and false alarm rates.Additionally, compared to visible light detection devices, infrared detection devices are more expensive, limiting their application to some extent.4. Acoustic DetectionDuring flight, the drone’s power system and propeller blades emit sound waves, which can be considered the “audio fingerprint” of the target drone, as each drone has its unique acoustic characteristics.Acoustic detection primarily involves collecting sound signals and comparing them with the acoustic characteristics of drones in a database to identify the target drone’s information.Acoustic detection passively receives airborne sound signals, making it difficult for drones to detect, thus ensuring high safety and low cost.However, acoustic detection technology cannot meet the needs for long-distance drone detection and is limited to low-noise environments.According to analysis from the U.S. Bard College Drone Research Center, radio frequency spectrum detection technology and radar detection technology are the most commonly used, followed by electro-optical detection technology based on visible light or infrared, while acoustic detection technology is the least used.However, each technology has its shortcomings, and the effectiveness of using any single detection technology is limited.To enhance detection capabilities, two or more technologies can be integrated for joint detection. Currently, some products or systems have integrated multiple detection technologies.

For example, Israel’s “Drone Guard” and “Drone Dome” anti-drone systems integrate electro-optical sensors, detection radar, and dedicated electronic attack systems to detect, identify, and interfere with small drones.

Drone Countermeasure TechnologyNext, let’s discuss drone countermeasure technology.Once a drone is detected, countermeasures can be taken based on the actual situation.Currently, there are various means of drone countermeasure technology, commonly including net guns, drone nets, laser cannons, microwave guns, acoustic interference, control signal jamming, radio communication protocol cracking, satellite positioning deception, and hacking techniques.These technological means can generally be divided into the following categories:interference and disruption, direct capture, strike and damage, monitoring and control.1. Interference and DisruptionDrones typically rely on radio signals for communication with their satellite positioning systems and flight control systems. If the radio signals in the corresponding frequency band are disrupted, the drone will activate its built-in self-protection mechanism, either forced to land, hover in the air, or return to the launch point.Interference and disruption technology utilizes this mechanism by directing high-power radio signals at the drone to disrupt its positioning and remote control systems, cutting off the drone’s connection with the remote platform and positioning satellites, rendering its positioning and flight control equipment inoperable, thus achieving the goal of expelling or striking the drone.Methods of interference and disruption mainly include satellite positioning signal jamming, flight control signal jamming, and acoustic interference.

For example, the new Orion H+ lightweight anti-drone system launched by TRD Singapore at the 2020 Singapore Airshow belongs to the interference and disruption category.

This system is a portable anti-drone system weighing less than 6 kg, capable of continuous operation for over 60 minutes or standby for up to 48 hours.

The system has up to 6 interference modules that can jam six different radio frequencies, capable of countering commercial drones, homemade drones, and even military drones, with a countermeasure strategy that interrupts the drone’s communication link within 20 seconds, triggering its automatic landing or return protocols.

2. Direct CaptureCommon capture-type countermeasure technologies mainly include net capture and bird capture.For instance, drones can carry capture nets or ground-based systems can launch nets to capture drones, or trained birds of prey can be used to capture drones.Using capture-type countermeasure technology allows for the retrieval of captured drones to a designated area, but it requires the drone to be within visual range, thus limiting the effective range of the countermeasures.3. Strike and DamageStrike and damage methods refer to using conventional firepower such as anti-aircraft machine guns and missiles, as well as new weapons using laser and microwave technology, and various means such as aggressive racing drones and combat drones to intercept or destroy target drones.Destruction-type countermeasures have good strike effects, are direct and rapid, and are insensitive to interference, but in actual combat, they require high aiming precision and can be costly. Additionally, they may cause the drone to crash, leading to other safety hazards, and are commonly seen in defense fields.

For example, the SMASH light weapon control system from Israel’s Smart Shooter company belongs to the strike and damage category.

The SMASH light weapon control system significantly enhances the accuracy and lethality of small arms, integrating target data from various sensors such as radar into assault rifles, and can also be combined with other C-sUAS systems to provide effective multi-layered anti-drone solutions suitable for modern battlefields.

4. Monitoring and ControlMonitoring and control methods use deception or misdirection to mislead illegally intruding drones, preventing them from receiving or even receiving incorrect information, effectively reducing their operational capabilities.Common monitoring and control methods include satellite positioning signal deception, radio signal hijacking, and hacking techniques.

For example, the Titan anti-drone system designed and developed by Citadel Defense in collaboration with U.S. combat personnel and security experts belongs to the monitoring and control category.

The Titan anti-drone system provides users with real-time information, identifies and classifies approaching drones or swarms, and selectively applies precise countermeasures to induce drones to land or return to their bases.

According to analysis from the U.S. Bard College Drone Research Center, interference and disruption technology is the most commonly used anti-drone countermeasure, while other countermeasure technologies each have their strengths and are often used in combination during anti-drone operations.

Due to the diverse and changing nature of drone threats, there is no one-size-fits-all solution for countering drones. Especially on the battlefield, the situation is more complex, necessitating a diverse and multi-layered approach with various equipment and technologies to address the threats.

Currently, some products or systems have adopted multiple means.

For example, Russia’s ROSC-1 anti-drone system employs a composite suppression method, capable of using multiple means to counter drones.

When a nearby drone is detected, the system can use special means to block the drone’s control channel and, if necessary, force it to land.

Additionally, the system can block signals within a certain frequency range while providing false location coordinates, causing affected enemy drones to change their flight direction and move away from the target area.

More KnowledgeIn response to the growing threat of drones, anti-drone technology has gradually become a focus of attention for various countries, leading to the emergence of various anti-drone technologies and products.In addition to the content above, I have also collected and organized some articles related to anti-drone technology. If you are interested, you can click on the article titles to view them!(The following articles are sorted by publication date from recent to older)

Serial Number	Article
1	First Release \| How the U.S. Developed Anti-Drone Technology
2	Cutting-Edge Technology \| Israel Launches Anti-Drone Interceptor
3	Ukraine’s New Anti-Drone Weapon – EDM4S-UA
4	[Think Tank Voice] U.S. Anti-Drone Technology Report
5	First Release \| Research on the Development of Foreign Military Anti-Drone Technology
6	Creating New Equipment for Anti-Drone Operations: U.S. Microwave Weapons Enter Combat
7	First Release \| Trends in the Development of Foreign Anti-Drone Systems
8	Anti-Drone Systems: Current Status, Challenges, and Future Trends
9	The “Tech” and “Skills” of Anti-Drone Swarms
10	Russia to Launch New Anti-Drone System
11	First Release \| Using “Asymmetric” Advantages to Counter Drone Threats
12	Russia Reveals Anti-Drone Combat Force Development
13	The Way of Anti-Drone Operations
14	Reviewing Global Anti-Drone Combat Weapons
15	Enhancing Anti-Drone Combat Capabilities: How the U.S. Plans to Do It
16	Who Can Counter Drones?
17	Israel’s New Anti-Drone System – “Taking Over” Enemy Drones in the Air
18	How to Counter Drones in Combat
19	Defense University Experts: How to Counter Drone Swarm Operations
20	Anti-Drone Market Competition is Fierce: China and the U.S. Each Have Their Own Tricks
21	Analysis of Anti-Drone Technology Development
22	Anti-Drone Operations: Current Status of Foreign Anti-Drone System Development

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