A while ago, we heard drones described as “a laptop that can fly” or “a robot for outdoor applications.” In any case, a drone is an unmanned aircraft that, when combined with devices such as cameras or sensors, can be used for all kinds of purposes—data collection, for example. Drones are the future. Even in the security industry. Or are they?

Drones come in all shapes, sizes, and price ranges. The applications are endless. You may be familiar with drones in the form of birds that are used at airports to scare away real birds or prevent them from nesting on or around runways. In Africa, drones are sometimes life-saving, delivering blood and plasma to remote hospitals. In the Netherlands, various companies and innovation hubs are quickly devising and developing new applications. Consider drones that inspect or maintain hard-to-reach objects (like wind turbine blades), drones that transport organs, medicines, or defibrillators, or drones that precisely spray crops with pesticides. The possibilities for drone applications are endless. Some even predict that soon there will be more drones in the air than airplanes in Europe.

Drones enhance security

Drones can also be used to enhance security. This is already happening on a small scale. For example, the Dutch Fire Brigade has obtained an exemption to fly drones in places and at times when others are not allowed to. This year, the fire brigade is training new drone operators and aims to form no fewer than seven drone teams. Drones will be deployed to detect, monitor, and fight fires. Equipped with thermal imaging cameras, drones can locate hotspots, and with specific sensors, they can also detect dangerous substances or gases. Drones can also be used to verify alarm notifications or provide situational overviews as a supplement to existing security measures. After an alarm is triggered, a drone can fly automatically (based on coordinates) or be piloted remotely to the incident location. This allows for faster and more targeted (and thus more effective) incident responses, potentially limiting or even preventing damage. Recently, during the tram shooting incident in Utrecht, the Special Intervention Service (DSI) used drones to get a clear view of the situation on the ground.

Drones as a threat

Unfortunately, drones also bring new risks. A drone equipped with an explosive payload or toxic substance could enable malicious actors to carry out attacks that would otherwise not be possible. Drones can also be used for espionage or to prepare for an attack. After all, drones are not hindered by fences. They can reach higher floors, fly over security guards, and easily stay out of sight of traditional security cameras, which usually aren’t aimed at the sky. Sadly, there have already been some examples of drone attacks. Last year, for instance, Venezuelan President Maduro survived an assassination attempt by several drones carrying explosives during a public speech. And in December 2018, a drone over Gatwick Airport in England grounded thousands of flights.

Anti-drone solutions

Such attacks and threats demand effective countermeasures, such as drone detection systems or birds trained to capture drones mid-flight. But what do you do with a detected drone if it’s carrying an explosive? More important than taking the drone down is locating the drone pilot and the equipment controlling the drone. DJI, a major manufacturer in the drone industry, developed a scanner that scans the signal on which drones fly and filters out the so-called ‘go-home’ signal. This could potentially help locate the pilot. However, truly effective anti-drone solutions are still lacking. Much important work remains to be done in this area. Some critics even suggest that it would be better to halt the development of new drone applications until sufficient effective anti-drone solutions are available.