Cameras and sensors can scan large areas
Signals can be 'spoofed' to allow operators to hijack it
Drone can also be jammed to stop in functioning
System can work out exactly where it is being controlled from

They have begun a growing threat to airports, power stations and even public events.

Now, Airbus has revealed a new 'drone killer' system that can automatically monitor an area - and disable the drone by jamming its signals if it spots one.

The system can even analyse signals from the drone to work out exactly where it is being controlled from.

'All over the world, incidents with universally available small drones have revealed a security gap with regards to critical installations such as military barracks, airports or nuclear plants', said Thomas Müller, head of the Electronics business line at Airbus Defence and Space.

'As a specialist in defence electronics, we have all the technologies in our portfolio and the integration knowledge which are needed to set up a quick-response protection system with extremely low false alarm rates'.

The system offers very high effectiveness by combining sensor data from different sources with latest data fusion, signal analysis and jamming technologies.

It uses operational radars, infrared cameras and direction finders from Airbus Defence and Space's portfolio to identify the drone and assess its threat potential at ranges between 5 and 10 Kilometers.

Based on an extensive threat library and realtime analysis of control signals a jammer then interrupts the link between drone and pilot and/or its navigation.

HOW IT WORKS

The system combines sensor data from different sources with latest data fusion, signal analysis and jamming technologies.

It uses operational radars, infrared cameras and direction finders from Airbus Defence and Space’s portfolio to identify the drone and assess its threat potential at ranges between 5 and 10 Kilometers.

A jammer then interrupts the link between drone and pilot and/or its navigation, and allows their position to be calculated.

Furthermore, the direction finder tracks the position of the pilot who subsequently can be arrested. Due to the Smart Responsive Jamming Technology developed by Airbus Defence and Space, the jamming signals are blocking only the relevant frequencies used to operate the drone while other frequencies in the vicinity remain operational.

Since the jamming technology contains versatile receiving and transmitting capabilities, more sophisticated measures like remote control classification and GPS spoofing can be utilized as well.

This allows effective and specific jamming and also a controlled takeover of the UAV.

The Counter-UAV System has been tested extensively at Airbus Defence and Space's own premises and during customer presentations in Germany and France.(from daily mail )