Drones and Signals Intersection: The Importance of Security Concerns
Revised Article:
Hey there! Let's dive into the world of modern warfare and the significant role of robotics and unmanned systems. As a retired U.S. Army Colonel and owner of Phoenix 6 Consulting LLC, Bill Edwards knows a thing or two about this transformative shift.
In today's battles, robotics have taken center stage, altering the very dynamics of conflict. Control over communication signals has become a critical factor for success, much like terrain in traditional warfare. These signals, especially those transmitted by aerial drones, can be vulnerable to disruption, interference, distance limitations, and electronic warfare.
In the skies above, frequencies and their functions serve as "key terrain" - understanding, propagation, manipulation, and rapid response are essential for survival and operational success. Aerial drones rely on various data streams, all transmitted on specific frequencies and bandwidths. With modern conflicts demonstrating the need for tactical operations to utilize a broader range of frequencies, electronic warfare (EW) has emerged as a pivotal force.
Bridging The Air Domain Gap
Despite the growing importance of the air domain, many government and private-sector security programs overlook it. Closing this gap calls for collaboration across specialized skill sets. Communications and IT experts, for instance, need to work hand-in-hand with operations and intelligence professionals to understand the role of physics in drone deployment and countermeasures.
Small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS) typically operate on the industrial, scientific, and medical (ISM) radio frequency (RF) band, which ranges from 2.4 GHz to 5.8 GHz and is also used for Internet of Things (IoT) devices such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. However, modern conflicts have shown the necessity of employing a wider range of frequencies for tactical operations to counter EW.
As electronic warfare advances, new solutions are on the horizon. Technologies such as the Skynode S enable drones to remain operational even during GPS disruptions, using onboard sensors to match terrain with maps. Neuromorphic sensing cameras paired with inertial navigation systems (INS) offer another potential GPS-free drone navigation alternative.
The sophistication of EW has evolved from brute-force jamming to more targeted disruptions, and drones are adapting to this shifting landscape. For example, alternative technologies like GPS and cellular networks are being used, and Ukrainian forces have relied extensively on Starlink and cellular networks in their operations.
Crafting A Resilient Air Domain Security Strategy
To keep up with this rapidly evolving technology, significant attention must be paid to the "air domain." Developing an effective security program requires collaboration, ensuring that communications experts and IT professionals are actively involved in shaping these strategies.
Just as cybersecurity threats required a convergence of physical and digital security strategies, we are now witnessing a similar inflection point where integrating the "air domain" into security frameworks is not only necessary but urgent.
Education is vital to this integration. A strong foundation begins with understanding the drone ecosystem, including drone platform capabilities, counter-unmanned systems (detection and mitigation), and current US laws. As drone technology continues to evolve, traditional detection methods may become obsolete, which is why modern detection systems must identify all moving objects, regardless of signal emissions.
A shining example is the MESA technology developed by Echodyne, which provides a high-performance, low SWaP (size, weight, power) radar capable of detecting all moving objects, classifying them, and tracking potential threats with precision.
Security professionals should also learn the fundamentals of Drone Vulnerability and Risk Assessment (DVRA), a process that helps assess potential threats and identify critical assets for risk mitigation. From there, policy and procedures within a drone emergency response plan (DERP) can be developed, providing a structured approach to addressing drone-related threats. Finally, operationalizing the DERP through a standing concept of operations (ConOps) or a preemptive left-of-drone-launch plan ensures a proactive defense strategy.
In conclusion,
The future of drones and robotics depends heavily on signals and frequencies. Security professionals must collaborate effectively to develop and implement successful security programs. After all, as technology advances and the ability to manipulate signals grows more accessible, preparedness is key in today's ever-evolving digital battlefield.
So, do you have what it takes to join the Forbes Technology Council? This exclusive community welcomes only world-class CIOs, CTOs, and technology executives, like our very own Bill Edwards. Could you be next?
- Bill Edwards, a retired U.S. Army Colonel and the owner of Phoenix 6 Consulting LLC, is well-versed in the transformative impact of robotics and unmanned systems on modern warfare.
- In the realm of warfare, frequencies have become as critical as terrain in traditional conflicts, with control over these signals being essential for operational success.
- As electronic warfare evolves, new solutions like the Skynode S and neuromorphic sensing cameras paired with inertial navigation systems (INS) are being developed to enable drones to navigate independently of GPS, offering an alternative to conventional drone navigation.
