There is a Drone
in My Airspace!
Now What?

Scope out the  local landscape:

Identify likely take-off locations, hangs no-fly-zone signs, and/or install cameras to deter potential pilots.

Practice, train, and educate your security team:

Airspace security programs should begin under ideal, “blue sky” conditions. Security teams can connect and understand how to use Dedrone software, assign roles in the event of an incursion, and conduct training and response exercises.

Engage local law enforcement:

Determine the criteria Provide local law enforcement the information they require to approach and apprehend an unauthorized drone pilot in the event of an emergency airspace intrusion. Consider tabletop exercises with all first responder stakeholders.

Respond to automated alerts:

Monitor “reach in time” to the protected area:

Deploy security team to follow drone, and approach or apprehend pilot:

Protect assets with passive countermeasures:

Alert local law enforcement:

Build threat profile based on historical analysis:

Dedrone produces automated summaries of drone activity, providing information such as most frequent times and days drones appear and drone hotspots. Understanding flight patterns is the best form of prevention. An unauthorized drone may visit a protected site multiple times to survey the area and find security vulnerabilities. In Dedrone’s experience, we see 3-5 flights prior to a bad event. If a flight patterns are identified, security teams can appoint resources to prevent operational harm before it occurs.

Update security procedures according to the threat profile:

Post “No-Fly-Zone” signage:

How many drones are in my airspace?

Confirm the existence and numbers of drones in your airspace to assess your level of vulnerability. What time of day and what days of the week do most drone incursions occur? Knowing this information will not only drive SOPs but may also point toward the identification of the bad actor.

What time of day, and which days of the week, are drones appearing?

This type of data enables security providers confirm whether there is a correlation of unauthorized drone activity with business operations. Unauthorized drone flights may occur during certain times of the day – such as under cover of darkness at night – during shift changes or during major business operations. For stadiums and arenas, drone activity may spike before, during, or after an event.

What kinds of drones are being flown?

Drones vary in their size, payload capacity, speed, battery life, and range – all variables which can help security providers understand the nature of the individual drone threat when it appears. Being able to identify multiple manufacturer drone types to know exactly what type of drone is being flown over your facility is key to assessing the overall threat and therefore the appropriate response.

How close is the drone and how long until it reaches me?

During an incursion, it is important to understand timing. Seconds count, making early warning and “reach in time” calculations crucial to the effectiveness of response teams.

What are the most common areas for drone activity?

Are the drones flying over sensitive areas? Drones provide a birds-eye view of a protected site, allowing the operator to locate vulnerabili- ties in security systems and exploit blind spots. Airspace security data confirms the areas in need of additional protection from drone threats. Security leaders can post signage, darken windows and/or add extra security patrols to likely launch areas.

Install a Drone Detection System and Conduct a Vulnerability Assessment:

With a smart airspace security strategy in place, you can easily determine the scope of your vulnerability to drones. Specifically, you will learn the most common times of day, or days of the week, and which types of drones are in protected airspace. Discover common takeoff points and flight paths, identify concerning flight patterns and classify the most common types of drones near your venue.

Apply Insights & Intelligence into Security Protocols:

Once initial insights and intelligence are established, apply this information to determine if your security teams need to change or add certain patrol areas, cooperate with local law enforcement, or even just set up signage as a deterrent. Use the time before gameday to prepare, predict and prevent nefarious drone flights, rehearse response protocols, track down suspicious pilots, and ensure that you capture drone pilots in a timely manner on game day.

Deploy Security to Apprehend Drone Pilot:

Whether there is an active game, or practice in session, response time matters. Apply DedroneTracker’s built-in predictive analytics, insights, and intelligence to find pilots and stop the flight.

Mitigate the Threat with Active Countermeasures:

For U.S. Department of Homeland Security Special Event Assessment Rating (SEAR) Level 1-2 events, such as the NFL Super Bowl, federal agency security teams may be authorized to deploy counter-drone technologies, such as DedroneDefender, to halt the drone flight. For events managed at the state or local level, threat mitigation will depend on passive, countermeasures including active patrol at likely take-off areas, clear signage, collaboration with local law enforcement, and quick security team respo9nse times to track down the pilot.

Halt Gameplay, Move Spectators:

In the event a drone appears during active gameplay, it may be prudent to halt operations until the drone pilot is apprehended.

Build threat profile:

Understanding flight patterns is the best form of prevention. An unauthorized drone may visit a stadium multiple times to survey the area and find security vulnerabilities and commonly used take-off areas can be identified.

Share insights with law enforcement:

The Department of Justice is beginning to prosecute drone pilots at stadiums. For example, in February 2020, the DOJ announced federal charges against a man in Florida for flying a drone in restricted airspace during the week leading up to Super Bowl LIV. With insights and intelligence, security teams can also potentially alert law enforcement to likely take-off areas for extra patrolling.

Confirm airspace restrictions in your area, and identify local resources to respond in the event of an emergency:

In the event of a hostile drone incursion, first check with cooperating law enforcement, and local aviation authorities, what information they need, and when to call them for support in apprehending drone pilots.

Maintain detection technology:

Detect drones before they enter the facility or critical operation areas. Early warning allows for teams to observe the drone alert and determine whether it poses a threat.

Trigger real-time alerts to staff automatically:

In the event a drone breaches critical airspace, real-time alerts can be sent to staff with specific information to patrol certain parts of a facility.

Protect operations:

Move inmates indoors or to protected areas, shut down windows

Notify local police:

Close cooperation with local law enforcement can support operations outside the facility.

Track the drone and the pilot:

Using DedroneTracker flightpath tools, corrections security teams can direct and deploy a response team in the direction of the drone, to either retrieve contraband that has been dropped, or locate the pilot to apprehend them and halt the flight.

Capture and record forensic evidence:

Whether the drone is visiting your facility for the first time or has made multiple visits, DedroneTracker shares historical data for you to use should you need to investigate a pilot or hand over evidence to law enforcement for further prosecution.

Educate local community:

Reduce the “careless and clueless” drone flights that could disrupt prison operations.

Make strategic decisions and investments based on real data:

Dedrone offers a scalable solution that fits your threat profile, the scope of your drone problem, and stays within your budget.