C-UAS Agility & Connectivity to Address Drone Threats

As drone usage continues to thrive offering a variety of benefits to different sectors around the world, the potential threats caused by rogue drone operators or inexperienced pilots also continue to grow, leading to dangerous and life-threatening situations. Such threats manifest themselves in weaponized attacks, collisions into crowds or critical infrastructure, disruptions and delays, contraband smuggling into prisons or across borders, and even espionage. The cost of these threats can be enormous, in economic terms, including revenue losses totaling millions of dollars (eventually passed to the consumer), or in damage to property, or even human safety.

At the heart of D-Fend Solutions’ mission, there are four core concepts: control, safety, focus, and future-readiness, behind its unique cyber counter-drone system that ensures continuity. With these concepts as a foundation, there are two capabilities required when addressing drone threats today: agility and connectivity.

Operational Agility

Operational agility and flexibility are critical elements in a counter-drone environment, as it enables the system to be quick and to be easily transferred, mounted and configured, to address any unexpected threats. With agility, end users can rapidly adapt to different environments, conditions, and terrain types by deploying mobile or tactical units to areas that have the most impact on the situation and protect the focus of the mission. Agility is critical. Stopping ongoing or potential UAS attacks and denying drone incursions over critical assets in every adversarial conflict, intended or otherwise, the adversary has a vote in the fight. In this regard, the operational flexibility, such as that offered by D-Fend, provides the end-user with the ability to adapt and learn from each incident and continue to deny the rogue operator the ability to maintain unimpeded air access.

Connectivity in Use

In today’s connected and congested sphere, as we become increasingly reliant on technology, decision-makers demand the most accurate and timely information when making decisions. This is no less true in counter-drone operations. With the right connectivity (such as that provided by D-Fend Solutions’ Multi-Sensor Command & Control system – MSC2), it is possible to control multiple sensors remotely from a single server, empowering organizations to intuitively safeguard vast expanses of land from rogue drones and quickly scale up for virtually any operational requirements. This is particularly necessary when large areas are defended, as multiple UAS detections of the same drone are displayed as a single track, and not as a swarm situation, removing false alarms. Providing the end user with a clear, easy to understand picture of their airspace removes end user information overload, and allows for rapid decisions based on real-time threat data overload.

By eliminating false alarms, end users can maintain vigilance despite prolonged deployments. Attention is focused on reacting only to real threats. Connectivity also plays a significant role when additional authorities are needed to mitigate a threat. Being in a connected world, one no longer must be in the physical location of the deployed system for accurate and timely information. Local authorities can monitor the situation at hand, while informing the mitigation authority about the ongoing threat. When the situation warrants, the appropriate authority can remotely connect to the system, and immediately receive the same, real-time picture of the deployed system. In conjunction with input from the local deployed unit, the mitigating authority can safely mitigate the threat while local law enforcement can conduct post-fight intelligence gathering or appropriate enforcement. This shows a synergistic approach to enforcement that is sensitive to the current issues surrounding enforcement, which is made possible by being truly connected.

At the end of the day, agility and connectivity are essential elements when looking at the ever-evolving risk of drone threats from malicious actors. D-Fend Solutions is continuously focused on identifying and researching the emergence of new threats, so that our current and future end users can maintain their agility and connectivity, denying any rogue drone the ability to affect our daily lives.

Safer airspace and safer outcomes.