Posted on February 25, 2015 at 20:29, updated on February 26, 2015 at 13:43
How to act against drones? The question taunts the public authorities while the overflights of sensitive or prohibited areas are multiplying in France, often without it being possible to question the drivers or owners. Unable to destroy these devices by shooting them with simple weapons: a moving target at such a distance is impossible to reach with the weapons of the police. There are nevertheless some avenues, each presenting advantages and disadvantages:
- Sound detection
Several companies offer drone detection tools. The latter are in the form of housings connected to microphones, positioned in height: it is by the sound of their propellers that drones are located, within a radius of a hundred meters. An alert is sent to a computer or SMS. Advantage: the system does not deal with waves, and can detect autopilot drones (see below). Problem: the background noise must be below a certain threshold, which makes it difficult to use in urban areas.
- The laser
Several countries have developed offensive lasers, like China or the United States. The military has long considered the potential danger of drones. Cannons have been developed, like this one, developed by the US Army:
The laser, focused on the machine, heated its circuits and destroyed its electronic components.
Advantage: the laser moves at the speed of light so it instantly hits the target with great precision. Problem: In urban areas, lasers can be dangerous because they are blinding. In addition, the destroyed drone can fall on passersby.
- The jammer
Systems of interference and interception already exist, also developed by the military. The big problem with this solution is that it imposes a total blackout on communications at a specific location. Indeed, if we only blur the radio waves, a user can very well direct his machine from his phone. Other drones, self-controlled, will not even be impacted by the drone jammer: their trajectory has been programmed in advance, they guide themselves by GPS and do not receive any radio waves. In addition, it is difficult to target a very specific area to scramble.
- The drone anti drone
Drone models bigger and more powerful than the others could “swallow” them. Or provided with a net, they could imprison them. Several models are already developed. Problem: If the pilot opposite is experienced, he has the opportunity to escape. In addition, nothing says that UAV defense systems will not be developed in a while.
The legislation
Some connoisseurs of the file advocate to act upstream and make mandatory the equipment of large drones, those that pose a problem, with a recognition tool similar to that of aircraft, a transponder. “A drone in a specific area would be immediately detected,” says an expert supporter of this solution. Problem of this solution: it will not work if the transponder of the device is clandestinely removed.