Context: 

Law enforcement agencies are increasingly concerned about the rising threat posed by the potential use of drones in terrorist incidents or attacks targeting critical infrastructure and vulnerable targets. 

The Drone Threat:

• Surveillance and delivery of hazardous materials: Recent incidents have demonstrated the use of drones by terrorist groups for surveillance and the delivery of dangerous substances like chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive materials in conflict zones.
• Breaching secure airspace: An environmental group modified a recreational drone to breach the secure airspace of a nuclear facility and crash into a building, highlighting the severity of the illicit use of drones.
• This concern is amplified as drone technology becomes more accessible worldwide. 
• Drones are becoming more affordable, leading to their widespread adoption and an expected surge in the evolving threat they pose.

Issues and challenges in Countering it:

• Detection and identification: Drones can be difficult to detect and identify, allowing them to go undetected even in attempted attacks. This makes it challenging to differentiate between malicious and non-malicious drones.
• Cost-effective countermeasures: Implementing effective countermeasures against drones can be costly. Traditional methods like using missiles may not be cost-effective, especially when drones emit low heat signatures that render heat-seeking missiles ineffective.
• Limited range and accuracy of handheld guns: Handheld guns have limited range and accuracy, making them insufficient for countering drones effectively, especially when dealing with drones operating at higher altitudes or longer distances.
• Challenges with Electro-Optical/Infrared (EO/IR) devices: EO/IR devices used for identification have limited field of view under high magnification and can be adversely affected by atmospheric conditions and emissivity, making it challenging to identify drones accurately.
• Difficulty in finding the exact frequency of operation: Wide-band detectors can be used to detect drones, but finding the exact frequency of operation can be time-consuming and cumbersome.
• Complexities of passive Radio Frequency (RF) detection: Passive RF detection requires multiple sensors at different locations to obtain a fix on the drone, and the problem becomes more complicated when the target is a moving platform.
• Impact of advanced communication technologies: Advanced communication technologies like 5G and Satcom enable drones to operate beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) and reduce dependency on direct links between the drone and operator. 
  • This adds a new dimension to countering drone misuse, as traditional methods may not be applicable.

Efforts to Counter Drones on a global scale::

• USA’s C-UAS Office (JCO): The USA established the C-UAS Office in 2019 to lead and coordinate efforts in countering small Unmanned Aircraft System (sUAS) activities. 
  • The office focuses on developing joint solutions, including doctrine, requirements, training standards, and capabilities to address current and emerging sUAS threats.
• UK’s National Protective Security Authority (NPSA): The NPSA in the UK coordinates with the counter-drone unit of the home office and other government agencies. 
  • Their objective is to maximize efficiency and minimize confusion in implementing credible anti-drone solutions.
• NATO’s Counter Unmanned Aircraft Systems (C-UAS) Technical Interoperability Exercise in 2022 in the Netherlands: This exercise aimed to enhance the technical interoperability of NATO’s counter-drone systems.
• Interpol’s International Exercise on Countering Drones: Interpol organized an international exercise with over 300 participants from more than 50 countries. The exercise focused on countering the illicit use of drones and improving global cooperation in this area.
• Drone catchers: Drone catchers have emerged as a potential solution for countering drones.
  • Ukraine’s Minister of Digital Transformation confirmed the country’s acquisition of the first six interceptors called “Shahed catchers” from the US.

Developments in India:

• Drone Policy 2021: India has a comprehensive and regularly updated Drone Policy 2021, which provides guidelines and regulations for the operation and use of drones in the country. 
  • However, the development of an anti-drone policy is still underway, indicating a focus on countering the misuse of drones.
• DEW Technology Development: The Centre for High Energy Systems and Sciences (CHESS) in Hyderabad, India, has been conducting experiments with Directed Energy Weapon (DEW) technology. 
  • This includes the development of DURGA II (Directionally Unrestricted Ray-Gun Array), a lightweight DEW with a power capacity of 100 kW. These developments highlight India’s interest in exploring advanced technologies for countering drones.
• Interoperability of Drone Systems: India has previously faced challenges with the interoperability of drone systems. The Heron and Searcher drones procured by the three services were not interoperable, indicating a need for a national-level strategy to address such issues.
• DRDO’s Anti-Drone Technology: The Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) has developed anti-drone technology for short ranges. 
  • This technology was deployed for the security of the Prime Minister during the Independence Day address.

Way Forward:

• India needs to develop a collaborative approach involving all relevant stakeholders to establish a comprehensive counter-drone  strategy. 
• This strategy should encompass a thorough understanding of the evolving risks  associated with the illicit and harmful use of drones, while adopting a comprehensive approach to deter, detect, and disrupt drone misuse.