A few characteristics of modern commercial drones make them an aerial threat for facilities like airports, stadiums, oil and gas refineries, and prisons. A drone flying close to a runway poses danger to airplanes during take-off and landing. The drone detection facility can also be a threat to stadiums, prisons, and oil & gas because of its ability to carry payloads bypassing ground security.

There are various technologies and solutions that can help security teams. Security teams can use these solutions to know the GPS location and address of the drone, the type of drone flying, its speed and altitude, and sometimes even the pilot’s GPS location. The most reliable drone detection solution is one that can adapt to each facility’s needs by integrating various hardware sensors into one software interface.

Drone detection technology works to detect unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), or drones as they are most commonly known. There are different technologies used to detect drone activity in the airspace, each technology varies in its capabilities with respect to drone size and detection range. Drones operating on RF communication can be tracked using RF sensors, while others that are GPS Pre-Programmed to a waypoint can be tracked using Radar detection. Visual technology like Pan, Tilt, and Zoom (PTZ) cameras can be used to get visuals on the detected drone and confirm a drone threat.

Keep in mind that each type of technology offers its own advantages and limitations. Organizations seeking solutions to drone threats should be aware of the limitations of each type of technology. Some detection technologies are more suitable for particular environments than others. However, by layering and using various technologies together, you can accurately detect and track most drones.