Rogue Drones

COUNTER-UAS SYSTEMS TAKE DOWN OUTLAW AIRCRAFT

- David Daly

The expansion of drones into our everyday lives is occurring at an unprecedented rate, and although the vast majority of people using drones find them as enjoyable forms of entertainment or specialized tools for industrial applications, there are unfortunately some who fly them in an improper manner. With a relatively low expense, high availability, and ease of portability, drones are in many ways ideally suited for criminal enterprises.

The U.S. military has studied this for some time. In an unclassified report from the Naval War College, dated May 15, 2015, naval officer Daniel Boutros noted the following: “The widespread proliferation of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) among both state and non-state actors is cause for concern to U.S. Operational Commanders. No longer does the U.S. have a monopoly on UAS operations. Nearly 90 countries now operate some type of UAS capability and, with increasingly affordable and available technology, that trend is increasing at an alarming rate.”

The threat is becoming main stream and no longer confined to the battlefield. Drones have already been used in the making of terrorist propaganda videos, in the delivering of contraband into prisons, and in illegal surveillance. In August last year, Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro was giving a speech during a military ceremony when two drones rigged with explosives detonated. While the attack was unsuccessful in hitting the intended target, they did succeed in proving the efficacy of the method.