Commercial drone operators have demonstrated a nasty habit of flying over restricted areas. To prevent such occurrences, three companies in the U.K. have developed a device that can bring problem drones to a halt mid-flight.
The Anti-UAV Defense System, or Auds, stops a drone by interrupting its signal with a heavy-duty radio signal, according to the BBC. The technique mirrors other efforts to stop drones, like through the use of sound waves.
The processes of stopping the drones begins when the Auds radar detects a drone in the designated area it is monitoring. Following the detection a camera possessing thermal imaging technology locates the UAV, which is then hit by a radio signal that blocks out the connection between the drone and the person controlling it.
The manufacturers say it’s possible to complete all three phases in just 25 seconds, according to the BBC’s report.
So what does one do when they’ve commandeered the drone? Well, an Auds operator has two options. The first choice is to hold the UAV captive for a short period of time so the operator thinks it has an issue and chooses to take the drown down. The other alternative would be to freeze the drone in place until the battery dies, causing it to crash.
Paul Taylor of Enterprise Control Systems, which created the drone along with Chess Dynamics and Blighter Surveillance Systems, told BBC that Auds has been tested in the U.K., U.S., and France. Taylor said each of the three governments participated in the tests.
Filed Under: Aerospace + defense
