In the final installment of ATP Gov’s 2025 Tech Trends Series, we delve into the critical issue of Domestic Counter Unmanned Aircraft Systems (C-UAS) vulnerabilities. As drones become increasingly prevalent in both commercial and recreational sectors, the potential for misuse poses significant risks to public safety and security. This article explores these vulnerabilities, their impact on civilian agencies, and how ATP Gov and our esteemed partners are addressing these challenges.
Understanding the Domestic Threat of Drones
I expect that drones have been a frequent topic of conversation in recent months for many of us. They certainly have for me. Friends, family, and colleagues tend to ask me questions like this, which makes sense considering my current role in technology, my time as an active-duty US Marine, and my years of experience working in and supporting our intelligence community.
In a recent conversation on the subject, I was asked, ‘What are my concerns regarding drones domestically, and what would I suggest?’ Below is a much-abbreviated version of my response.
Bottom Line Up Front. Despite the growing risk posed by malicious or unauthorized drone activity, efforts to address the security threat of drones remain hindered by two significant challenges: the complexity of legal and regulatory frameworks and the lack of real-time drone detection capabilities. Addressing these concerns, I believe, requires a two-pronged approach—investing in drone detection technologies while simultaneously working to resolve policy and jurisdictional conflicts.
Challenge 1: Regulatory Complexity Obscures Security Risks
Efforts to mitigate drone threats are complicated by a web of overlapping laws, policies, and jurisdictional conflicts that often prevent a unified security response. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) governs national airspace, while state and local authorities impose additional regulations, creating uncertainty over enforcement responsibilities. Additionally, legal considerations surrounding privacy, individual rights, and airspace ownership further complicate policy decisions.
For example, the FAA strictly prohibits most drone interception or mitigation (such as jamming or kinetic countermeasures), leaving critical infrastructure operators and law enforcement agencies with limited options to defend against potential threats.
Moreover, safety considerations—including the risk of drone collisions with manned aircraft or interference with emergency operations—continue to dominate regulatory discussions, often diverting attention from the immediate security risks posed by malicious actors exploiting drone technology.
Challenge 2: Lack of Situational Awareness of Drone Activity
Even if the legal and policy landscape were optimized for security, the inability to reliably detect and track drones in real-time presents an even more significant challenge. Unlike traditional aircraft, most
drones operate at low altitudes, with small radar cross-sections and minimal acoustic signatures, making them difficult to detect using conventional radar and air traffic monitoring systems.
Current drone detection efforts face several limitations:
- Lack of a Nationwide Detection Network: Unlike other air traffic monitoring systems, there is no comprehensive, real-time network to track drones over sensitive sites or national airspace.
- Evasion of Traditional Security Measures: Many drones are small, fast, and highly maneuverable, enabling them to bypass static security perimeters.
- Proliferation of Autonomous and AI-Powered Drones: Emerging UAS technologies are increasingly capable of autonomous operations, reducing the effectiveness of traditional counter-drone methods that rely on operator-based tracking.
As a result, security agencies are often blind to unauthorized drone activity, creating an urgent need for dedicated UAS detection capabilities.
The Technical Solution: Immediate Investment in Drone Detection Technology
Given these challenges, the most practical and immediate step is to deploy passive drone detection technologies across critical infrastructure, federal facilities, and other high-risk areas. These systems can provide real-time awareness of drone activity without actively interfering with communication signals or requiring continuous operator oversight.
Available Passive Detection Technologies:
- RF-Based Detection: This technique identifies and analyzes radio frequency (RF) signals emitted by drones and their controllers to determine their presence and location.
- Acoustic Detection uses advanced microphones and AI algorithms to recognize drones’ unique sound signatures, even in noisy environments.
- Electro-optical (EO) and Infrared (IR) Tracking: High-resolution cameras and thermal imaging detect drones based on their shape, heat signatures, and movement patterns.
- Passive Radar: Detects drones by analyzing how their signals interact with existing RF transmissions, such as commercial broadcasting or mobile network signals.
Benefits of Passive Drone Detection Systems:
- Real-Time Awareness: Provides early warning of unauthorized drones operating in restricted airspace.
- Passive & Legal: Unlike active countermeasures (such as jamming or kinetic interception), passive detection operates within existing legal frameworks without interfering with communications.
- Scalability: This can be deployed across multiple sites, forming a networked approach to UAS security.
- Multi-Layered Defense: Combining RF, acoustic, EO/IR, and passive radar detection enhances accuracy and reduces false positives.
However, technology alone is not the solution. Regulatory and policy challenges must be addressed concurrently to allow security professionals to take appropriate action against threats once detected. This means developing clear jurisdictional authority, establishing response protocols, and enabling interagency cooperation to ensure swift and effective mitigation of drone-based threats.
Moving Forward: A Coordinated Approach to UAS Security
To effectively counter the growing threat of drones, policymakers, and security professionals must adopt a dual approach:
- Invest in UAS Detection Now: Deploy RF-based drone detection systems to establish situational awareness at critical sites.
- Resolve Policy & Jurisdictional Challenges: Create clear legal frameworks allowing security agencies to act appropriately against unauthorized drones.
By tackling these issues in parallel, we can reduce security blind spots, protect sensitive facilities, and stay ahead of the rapidly evolving UAS threat landscape.
Conclusion
Drones represent a transformative technology with both incredible benefits and serious security risks. While legal and policy challenges will take time to resolve, the immediate deployment of drone detection technologies can provide a critical layer of security today. If we fail to act now, we risk remaining vulnerable to a growing and unpredictable aerial threat.
The time for action is now. The question is no longer whether we need drone detection capabilities but how soon we can deploy them.
