Drones and other unmanned aerial vehicles are common in the UK today. It is easy for shoppers to order these devices online for multiple uses. From the media, film industry, military, law enforcement, conservation to agriculture, there's immense potential for the application of drones and other unmanned aerial vehicles.

An industry report by PWC estimates that there are over 628,000 people in the drones' economy. The same report reckons drone technology that offers £16bn in net cost savings to the UK economy.

Great Risks

However, despite these positive impacts, drone technology poses major risks to modern society. Unmanned aerial vehicles pose a danger to public safety and security.

There are also concerns over the use of drones for military and corporate espionage, terrorist attacks among other malicious uses. These devices also pose a great danger to manned aircraft as happened with the disruptions at Gatwick Airport.

Other concerns over uncontrolled drone use include intrusion into people's privacy, property damage, among other problems.

Countering the Risk of Illegal UAVs

Anti UAV Technology has become necessary to counter the threat posed by drones, and other unmanned aerial vehicles. These systems seek to do the following:

1. Monitor Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs)

The equipment under this system seeks to detect, classify, locate, and alert the system owner of any unmanned aerial vehicles entering their airspace. These systems use the latest technology to perform any of these functions.

When shopping for any counter UAV equipment, it is important to confirm its monitoring capability. The best anti-UAV systems can perform all the functions.

This means you will get an alert immediately after detection of a UAV and real-time updates from the tracking, identification, and classification. This information is useful in decision making, as you will have determined the threat posed by the detected UAV.

Some of the UAV monitoring technologies on the market include:

• Acoustic Sensors (Microphones): These systems use multiple microphones to detect sounds made by UAVs and identify their direction. This system is not feasible for noisy locations.

• Radar: These are long-range systems using radio energy to detect drones. They are more accurate and can track drones even in autonomous mode. They require a license to operate.

• Radio Frequency (RF) Analysers: Passive counter UAV System using radio frequencies to detect UAVs. Requires no licensing but is less effective in crowded places.

• Optical Sensors/ video cameras: Provides visuals of UAVs but has a high false alarm rate.

2. Counteract Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs)

What happens after you detect and identify an illegal unmanned aerial vehicle? In most cases, some countermeasure is necessary to protect yourself or your property.

This is where an Anti UAV Defence System with countermeasures comes in handy. This technology enables you to destroy an approaching UAV, neutralise it, or capture it.

Military and law enforcement authorities already deploy these systems in their operations. Before purchasing these systems, it is important to understand the laws governing them.

Counteract UAVs use the following tactics:

• Jamming technology: This entails interfering with an illegal UAVs' control system. You can take over control and land the device safely or allow it to fly away.

• GPS spoofers: As the name implies, this intervention tactic confuses the UAV and you can easily gain control and land it. It is a short-range technique but unfortunately, it can interfere with other communication systems in the surrounding.

• Net and net guns: These are the ultimate drone capture tools. If you want to fully neutralise the threat of a UAV, nets and net guns are an effective solution. Some of the devices in this category include net guns and net canons attached to attacker drones. They are perfect for law enforcement as they help with forensics and prosecution.

Final Thoughts

As the use of drone technology continues in the UK, there's a need for stronger laws governing these unmanned aerial vehicles. As an individual or a business, it is advisable to explore some of the best anti-UAVs trends on the market to protect yourself and your property. These technologies guarantee your privacy and protect your business against corporate espionage.