Technology group Rohde & Schwarz has raised the bar in combating commercial drone threats to civil and military aviation with its Ardronis Wi-Fi system, which not only knocks out drones but also infiltrates them and steals their data. .
Although drones are often thought of as a military issue due to their use in conflicts such as the Ukraine conflict, the FAA reports that in the United States alone, more than 100 drone sightings are reported each month in potentially dangerous areas. It is said that there is. Whether their reason for being there is due to ignorance, pranks, or malice, these sightings should be taken very seriously. That’s because even a drone the size of a small bird can have catastrophic consequences if it gets sucked into a jet engine or collides with a plane. helicopter rotor.
Countering these drones has become big business, with most systems focused on capturing or destroying them using shotguns, microwaves, lasers, nets, and even falcons. Either that, or they take the approach of jamming the control and navigation signals that drones rely on.
Rohde Schwarz
Rather than destroying or interfering with drones, the Ardronis Wi-Fi system uses a novel technique to get inside the electronics and exploit them. Many commercially available drones utilize Wi-Fi signals for control and navigation. By monitoring these communications, Ardronis can automatically detect nearby drones and get a rough idea of their direction, even if they haven’t taken off yet.
This is good enough for an early warning feature, but depending on the model, the system can also intercept video transmissions from the drone and send it to the Ardronis operator, effectively allowing command and control of the drone. I will take advantage of it. To make matters worse for an intruder, the system can decipher the drone’s remote ID and read out interesting details such as its location, speed, and altitude.
Besides some intense eavesdropping, this system can also sever the connection between the drone and the controller. This differs from other systems that blanketly disable all drones in a sector. The company says Ardronis can destroy individual drones while leaving others alone.
“Ardronis Wi-Fi is a game changer in the field of drone detection and mitigation,” said Anne Stephan, Vice President Surveillance and Analytics at Rohde & Schwarz. “Thanks to its cutting-edge features and user-centered design, this system provides a robust and intuitive solution for detecting, locating, and neutralizing Wi-Fi-controlled drones, with a focus on security and surveillance. It has become an essential asset for the organization in which it operates.” ”
Source: Rohde & Schwarz
