1. Autonomous Drones: the Future of Aerial Defense and National Security?
Unauthorized drones are spotted daily near critical infrastructure in Finland. Their purpose varies from thoughtless curiosity to serious threats of scouting weak points or even attempts of sabotage. In the project we created ways to counter these unwanted drones with a fleet of security drones.
Some of the critical infrastructure sites are owned by government agencies but mostly by private utilities who have legal obligations to secure them to a certain level. The end-user in the scenario is a security director who decides the methods how the site is protected. The solution can also be outsourced from a security agency.
The drone fleet operation will benefit from the upcoming 6G mobile network technology. It enables high-speed and low-latency communication, but for drone communication especially the enhanced privacy and security will provide better resilience towards interference. The most interesting feature in 6G will be the spatial monitoring which improves the accurate positioning of drones within the fleet as well as the detection of the surroundings and other objects.
2. About This Project
There is increasing demand for autonomous surveillance solutions due to geopolitical threats, hybrid warfare and protection of key infrastructures such as nuclear plants, water treatment facilities, the power grid, and military sites.
Government agencies require comprehensive, real-time monitoring of sensitive areas. Utility providers are concerned with securing infrastructure from potential sabotage.
Our solution is a drone fleet that monitors and protects a critical infrastructure facility against unauthorized drones. The fleet consists of several types of drones, which have surveillance and counter-drone capabilities. Drones share information with each other and other security systems.
The fleet operates mostly autonomously based on artificial intelligence and machine learning models, but it can be monitored and controlled by a fleet operator in a single software. The secured site is equipped with infrastructure supporting the fleet such as nests for battery reload, beacons for alternative positioning system and a 6G communication network.
The solution provides a tool against modern drone threats. It can identify threats and protect the facility autonomously in real-time with an operating system which can be used from a control room.
For futher details, please watch the following video.
3. Solution Concept
1. Simulation scenario A: a counter-drone attack
A critical infrastructure facility is protected by a fleet consisting of surveillance and counter-attack drones. An intruding drone is detected and identified. The counter-attack drone is alerted, and it eliminates the intruder by using a laser beam.
2 Simulation scenario B: a fleet preventing entrance
The facility is protected by a fleet consisting of surveillance drones. An intruding drone is detected and identified by surveillance systems.
A swarm of low-cost drones position themselves against the intruder as a form of a wall which prevents the intruder from entering the area. In case the intruder decides to proceed forward the cheap drones in the protective wall are sacrificed to damage the intruder.
Simulation also includes controls which demonstrate methods how the fleet operator in the control room can modify the fleet.
Scenarios 1 and 2 can be combined so based on the threat evaluation and then the most suitable counterattack is performed.
3 Concept design for a control room software UI
The data provided by the fleet is collected and shown on the control room software which contains:
- Aerial view
- Visualized status of the zones surrounding the site
- Different camera spectrums: RGB, thermal, infrared, and 6G
- Swarm view
- Location of each drone
- Different drone types with distinct colors
- Swarm control
- The zone of special focus, in case there is detected activity
- Number of drones in the nests and on the air
- The length of rotation cycle
- Threat identification
- Stream from drone which made identification: manual controls to change automated operation
- Stream from counter-drone: manual controls to change automated operation
4 Demonstration of a surveillance drone
The body of the drone is 3D printed from an existing model for a racing drone. The electronic components are installed on top of the body, so the simple structure is visible to the audience. The power is supplied from a laptop which also does the processing for sensor and camera feeds.
The drone has a microcontroller board and an engine controller. Each wing has a DC engine which rotates the propeller.
The sonic sensor is used to detect distances of objects around the drone.
The IP camera is used to identify objects. The identification is done with a machine learning model on the computer.
*Note that the drone for demonstration does not have all the necessary components for flying.
For further details about our project demonstration at National Demola Finals 2024, please watch the following video.
4. Value Proposition
Counter measures against unauthorized drones require a response which consists of an autonomously operating drone fleet. The events happen at such a speed that the response needs to be modelled beforehand and automated.
Creating a product or a service for a protective drone fleet requires research and design on many aspects, some points as follows:
- Site modelling and supporting equipment
- Drones and their equipment
- Drone communications
- Response methods based on criticality levels
- Control software
- Legal and safety analysis, and limitations
By addressing these multifaceted aspects, we can develop a resilient and responsive drone fleet capable of securing critical infrastructure against unauthorized drone activities.