Frequent drone attacks on critical infrastructure

　　In recent years, drone attacks on critical infrastructure have gradually increased, and one incident is particularly eye-catching. In July 2020, a modified DJI drone crashed near a substation in Pennsylvania, USA, seemingly aiming to destroy the substation's electronic equipment. Fortunately, the attack did not affect the power supply and the equipment was not damaged, but the incident attracted great attention from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) eventually confirmed that this was the first case of the United States discovering the use of modified drones to attack energy infrastructure. However, the "radio wave detection and jamming device"  became one of the first devices to be put into practical use.

　　Drones are becoming a potential threat to attacks on critical infrastructure due to their relatively low cost. In response to such threats, countries have begun to explore a variety of ways to counter drones, such as using high-power lasers or microwaves to shoot down drones, or using nets to capture drones. 

Multiple countermeasures to drone threats

Drone usage process and components

  • This device monitors the radio communication between drones and their control devices at a long distance and transmits interference signals, making it impossible for the drone to receive control instructions, forcing it to make an emergency landing or return to the starting point.
  • The core of the device consists of an antenna, a transmit/receive module, and an operating unit.
  • The antenna is responsible for capturing and transmitting radio waves, and the transmit/receive module processes the signal and generates interference waves.

　　Compared with other methods, this radio signal jammer has significant advantages. First, it can deal with multiple high-speed drones in the coverage area at the same time. Second, since the jamming signal does not directly destroy the drone, even if the drone carries explosives, it will not cause secondary damage on the ground. In contrast, using a laser to shoot down a drone may cause the drone to crash and cause an explosion, posing a serious threat to the surrounding environment.