However, some states are proposing legislation, like in California, that would allow firefighters and authorities to take down drones if they are interfering with an emergency situation like a wildfire. Blocking approach paths to airports, hovering over fires, and flying over freeways could be considered instances where those drones can be shot down. However, whether or not officials would legally be allowed to use a radio cell phone jammer like the drone jammers device remains unclear.
Though mobile phones have been banned in exam halls, a final year MBBS student of a private college had managed to cheat in a recently held exam through Bluetooth device and a microphone. “We have installed jammers in four examination halls for preventing cheating during exams. Instructions have also been passed to the invigilators to keep strict vigil on movement of students and check suspects thoroughly.” the dean said.
Such jammers transmit radio signals in the 800 MHz frequency band, which is used as the mainstream carrier frequency band for NTT DoCoMo’s and KDDI’s au phones. Products targeting other frequency bands are also available.
At present, the main corporate users of the signal jammer are the operators of hospitals, concert halls and cinemas, while some banks have also installed the device at their automated teller machines to help prevent “ore-ore” (it’s me, it’s me) frauds.
On a legal standpoint, the DroneDefender seems to be in a grey area. According to FCC regulations, federal law prohibits the operation, marketing, or sale of any type of jamming equipment, including devices that interfere with cellular and Personal Communication Services (PCS), police radar, Global Positioning Systems (GPS), and wireless networking services (Wi-Fi).
The operation of jammers should be the responsibility of the concerned vendor to avoid any local tampering at the examination centre. The jammers effectively disable cellular phones. They transmit on the same radio frequencies as mobile phones, thus disrupting the communication between the phone and the mobile phone base station in the tower.