Editor’s Note: As attention has increased regarding aircraft activity in the eastern U.S., Inside Unmanned Systems will be providing substantive context from UAS and AAM industry experts.

Jeffrey Starr is the Chief Marketing Officer at D-Fend Solutions, a leading global provider of RF-cyber counter-drone solutions for sensitive and challenging environments. Jeffrey is a frequent writer, speaker, and evangelist on next generation C-UAS/counter-drone technology topics. He has authored numerous articles and has been interviewed on the topic in many professional, technical, trade and news publications.

Recent reports of unusual drone activity in the eastern US have sparked public speculation and highlighted a critical gap in our airspace security: the limited ability of state and local jurisdictions to mitigate unauthorized UAS activity. While some sightings may be misidentified or easily explained, these incidents serve as a stark reminder of the evolving drone threat landscape and the urgent need for advanced Counter-UAS (C-UAS) technology adoption.

Responsible drone adoption and proliferation demands a proactive and comprehensive approach to airspace security. The proliferation of UAS technology has brought tremendous benefits across various sectors, from infrastructure inspection to emergency response. However, this progress has also created new vulnerabilities that must be addressed.

The drone threat landscape is rapidly evolving, with incidents ranging from airport disruptions to potential attacks on critical infrastructure. Traditional C-UAS approaches, often derived from military air defense, fall short in addressing the nuances of modern UAS threats in civilian environments. Radar-based systems can generate false positives, optical cameras struggle with limited visibility, and acoustic detection becomes less effective as drones become quieter and affected environments are noisy.

The most concerning limitations lie in traditional mitigation techniques. Jamming and similar electronic warfare methods can disrupt essential communications, while kinetic solutions carry significant risks of collateral damage, especially in crowded areas. These shortcomings underscore the need for more sophisticated, low-collateral damage, non-jamming, non-kinetic technology that can effectively neutralize drone threats without compromising safety or continuity of operations.

That’s where RF cyber technology has emerged as a game-changer. Unlike traditional methods, RF cyber takeover technology detects, locates, and identifies rogue drones by analyzing and acting upon their unique attributed. Once a threat is identified, the system can track, identify, and, if warranted, take control of the drone, guiding it to a safe landing zone without disrupting legitimate communications or risking physical harm.

This approach offers several key advantages in sensitive environments:

*   Precise threat mitigation: The ability to guide a rogue drone to a safe landing zone ensures that the threat is neutralized without causing unintended consequences.

*   Operational continuity: S non-jamming approach ensures that legitimate communications and operations are not disrupted.

*   Adaptability: The system can be deployed in various configurations, including stationary, mobile, and man-portable, to adapt to different operational requirements.

The challenge of limited local capability is a critical piece of this puzzle. As the current situation highlights, state and local jurisdictions often lack the allowance or technological capabilities to effectively respond to unauthorized drone activity. This creates a vulnerability that can be exploited by malicious actors.

To address this challenge, society urgently needs a multi-faceted approach that includes:

*  Clear frameworks and rules of engagement: Federal, state, and local governments must accelerate current efforts to work together to establish clear frameworks that provide law enforcement with the authority and capability to respond to unauthorized drone activity.

*   Technology investment: Investing in advanced C-UAS technologies like RF cyber is essential for providing law enforcement and security agencies with the tools they need to detect, identify, and mitigate drone threats in urban, crowded, and sensitive environments.

*   Collaboration and information sharing: Effective airspace security requires collaboration and information sharing between government agencies, law enforcement, solution providers, critical infrastructure operators, and the private sector.

The recent flurry of mysterious drone sightings in the northeast US serve as a wake-up call. By embracing advanced C-UAS technologies and establishing clear frameworks, we can create a safer and more secure airspace for everyone. We are must increasingly develop and deploy innovative solutions that address the evolving drone threat landscape and enable the safe and responsible integration of UAS technology into our society.