The Economist has put some flesh on thoughts I had myself after the drone sightings that shut down Gatwick Airport this Christmas. I, and probably many others, wondered why more drones had not been used for terrorist attacks. The Economist article suggest that this may well change soon - they are predicting that drone disruption may be on the cards for the upcoming Extinction Rebellion climate change protests, for example - and that, even more worryingly, there is very little that can be done about it.
An estimated 235 diferent counter-drone systems are commercially available or under development, ranging from radio jamming to electronic hijacking to nets to projectile to even trained eagles. But there are a much more limited number of options available in a crowded and very public space like a major airport. To make matters worse, modern drones are much more nimble and fast than they used to be, reaching speeds of up to 260 km/h, and can even be pre-programmed to follow a set path, obviating the need for disruptable electronic communications. Adaptations and add-ons developed by hobbyists are legion and almost impossible to predict, including graffiti sprays, grabbing claws, firework launchers, flame-throwers, tasers, handguns, even chainsaws. The relatively low cost of drones also means that they can be employed in numbers, possibly larger numbers than counter-measures can deal with.
All in all, it doesn't really bear thinking about.
No comments:
Post a Comment