COTS Drones: Impact, Threats, and Drone Mitigation Techniques

Drones have rapidly become an integral part of various industries, with their prevalence growing exponentially. These unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are no longer limited to hobbyists; they have evolved into essential business tools across sectors such as agriculture, construction, and media. Among these, Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) drones have gained prominence. 

COTS drones are defined as ready-made, commercially available drones, including quadcopters, octocopters, and hexacopters, primarily designed for commercial applications rather than personal recreation. These advanced drones are equipped with sophisticated flight control systems, sensors, and high-definition cameras, enabling them to perform complex tasks like surveillance and data collection.

The expanding capabilities and widespread use of COTS drones, valued at over $26 billion globally in 2023, have made them invaluable in sectors like real estate and construction, where they enhance safety, monitor projects, and provide detailed insights. 

However, this surge in drone usage brings significant security challenges. There is an evolving threat of unauthorized drones capable of breaching privacy, conducting espionage, or even launching attacks. 

Some types of COTS drones commonly used for real estate photography, can easily be repurposed for illegal surveillance near sensitive areas like military bases or government facilities. Their widespread availability and ease of use render them potential tools for nefarious activities, all, these drones can quickly fall into the wrong hands, posing significant security risks. COTS drones can be exploited for illegal surveillance and espionage, capturing sensitive data from restricted areas without detection.

Airspace intrusion by COTS drones presents a significant challenge, particularly in restricted areas like airports, military installations, and critical infrastructure. These drones can unintentionally or deliberately breach sensitive airspace, causing disruptions, grounding flights, or even posing collision risks with manned aircraft. Intentional intrusions may involve espionage, smuggling, or other malicious activities, heightening the threat level.

COTS drones equipped with GPS capabilities can cause considerable disruptions by entering restricted airspace or flying near government buildings. This can lead to interference with aircraft, trigger false alarms, or conduct unauthorized surveillance. Moreover, these drones have the potential to deliver payloads, obstruct essential operations, or incite panic among the public, leading to evacuations and emergency responses.

COTS drones have become an appealing weapon of choice for extremists due to their low cost, easy availability, and manipulability. They can be quickly weaponized with explosives or hazardous materials, making them a serious security threat.

Even if not weaponized, COTS drones can cause physical harm and collateral damage if they malfunction or are deliberately crashed into crowds during rallies or in densely populated urban areas. Their misuse in such scenarios poses serious safety risks to people and infrastructure.

The potential threats posed by COTS drones are significant. As drone technology continues to advance, so does the risk of disruption, making effective mitigation strategies essential. This article provides a brief examination of counter-drone (C-UAS) technologies as mitigation solutions for addressing threats associated with COTS drones.

COTS Drone Mitigation Techniques

With the increasing prevalence of drone-related incidents, countermeasures designed to protect against their misuse must evolve rapidly. A layered defense strategy, incorporating multiple drone mitigation techniques, is essential for ensuring comprehensive protection in today’s increasingly drone-dominated landscape.

Below is a brief overview of some current mitigation techniques available in the market.

1. Jamming Systems

As a drone mitigation technique, jamming disrupts the communication link between the drone and its operator by emitting high-power radio frequency (RF) signals at the same frequencies as those used by the drone. When the link is blocked, the drone typically hovers, lands, or returns to its takeoff point. In no-fly zones, jamming can effectively neutralize unauthorized drones, preventing them from penetrating restricted airspace.

Jamming systems can affect other communication systems in the vicinity, leading to unintended disruptions. The risk of collateral damage is also significant, as the drone may crash into a populated area if control is lost. 

2. RF Cyber-Takeover

RF-based cyber takeover is an innovative non-jamming, non-kinetic approach that takes control of a hostile drone. Such drone mitigation techniques zeros in on the RF communications between the pilot’s remote controller and the drone, effectively taking command of the drone. Once in control, it redirects the drone along a predetermined route to a designated safe landing location. This surgical mitigation may occur within a certain range, tailored to the requirements of the hostile drone’s communications.

RF cyber-takeover avoids collateral damage or interference with other communications systems, and it can also distinguish between authorized and unauthorized drones, enabling authorized drones to keep functioning during the mitigation of hostile drones.

3. Kinetic Countermeasures

Kinetic countermeasures involve the physical interception of a drone, using one of many methods including shooting it down, deploying nets, or using counter-drones to capture or disable it. These measures are most effective in scenarios where drone mitigation does not pose an immediate threat to people or property.

Kinetic solutions can be challenging to deploy in real-time, especially in urban or crowded areas. The risk of collateral damage is higher, as disabling a drone could result in it crashing and causing harm. Moreover, these methods require precise targeting and quick response times, which may not always be feasible.

4. Geofencing Technology

Geofencing relies on pre-programmed software that restricts drones from entering specific airspaces by creating virtual boundaries. This technology can be useful for preventing accidental intrusions into sensitive areas. By leveraging GPS and onboard software, drones can be automatically prevented from flying into restricted zones.

Geofencing depends on the drone’s firmware being up to date and compliant with the geofencing data. This method is ineffective against non-compliant or hacked drones, as operators can bypass geofencing restrictions. It is also a passive measure, meaning it only prevents compliant drones from entering restricted zones and does not actively neutralize threats.

5. Directed Energy Weapons (DEWs)

DEWs, such as high-energy lasers, can target and destroy drones at long range by focusing energy to disable their electronic components. These systems are particularly valuable in protecting critical infrastructure and military installations from high-level threats like weaponized drones.

Deploying DEWs requires significant infrastructure and can be costly. Additionally, their effectiveness depends on line-of-sight and weather conditions, as rain, fog, or dust can reduce their accuracy and effectiveness. Like kinetic methods, collateral damage risk can be significant, and the energy required can strain power systems, limiting deployment to well-supported locations.

Effective COTS Countermeasures

As the use of COTS drones continues to expand, immediate threat detection and mitigation are crucial to minimizing the risks they pose. Advanced counter-drone technologies, like RF-based cyber detection and takeover methods, offer promising solutions for secure airspace management. Combining these techniques makes it possible to build a robust defense strategy capable of protecting against a wide range of drone threats.