Drone counter measures
 

I saw a story about drones flying around a suburban neighborhood, the cop they interviewed talked about the number of reports, did not find operator, which would be tough to do. Could be benign, maybe nefarious. I got to thinking, best I could come up with is a pressure washer to knock it down, laser to blind it maybe. Getting into falconry is too much, I was thinking more along the lines of Macgyver using the stuff in the shed.

Good synonym here:

https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/columnist/komando/2023/02/09/how-legally-avoid-drone-surveillance-around-your-private-property/11205343002/

So they’re allowed to operate with impunity…

Wait until they start strapping rpg’s to the front like in Ukraine…

Based on the videos out of Ukraine.

Using your drone to knock out the other drone is a thing. Nets. Jammers (https://tass.com/defense/1694687)…

I didn't make the rules!

We have teamed with a company in Huntsville (Army guys) and are working three counter drone efforts. We do the drone, they do the sensors/countermeasures.

We are also working a cheap, armed ducted fan drone for a one way flight.

It is serious.

If you buy a drone these days you are required to register it. There is now an app (more than one, I think) which you can use to look up to see who’s flying outside your kitchen window. With that info you report them to the authorities.

Problem is tons of people are buying drones and not registering them. But the app is a place to start.

Once drones are in-flight, they are aircraft and have the same protection as any other aircraft such as a small plane or commercial airplane. As crazy as it sounds, shooting at one would be the same punishment as shooting at one of these. In addition, they are extremely difficult to hit. We attempted this at various ranges and even the best shooters were unsuccessful. Some companies make a net-type round fired from shotguns to entangle the blades, but this has to be done at close range.

In addition, if you were successful in either taking control of the drone by electronic means or physical means, you become responsible for the results if it crashes and injures someone or destroys property.

The military has methods of dealing with them, but not the civilian population.

Ooo, tell us more. What ranges, what loads used? Why are they so hard to hit (other than the obvious).

Talk to the FAA. They "own" the skis in the USA and make the rules governing any "aircraft" from drones to the airlines and even hot air balloons and model rockets that get above a few hundred feet.

As an aerial photographer, unless there is a TFR (temporary flight restriction) or a restricted airspace like area 51, and places like the Ft. Sill artillery practice range, we can fly over it. We have mapped several airports even USAF bases and Army bases. Even the FAA facility itself.

We had one client that is in the waste water disposal business. He was looking to buy a competitor that was wanting to sell, but would not allow anyone on the property to see the operation. We flew the competitors site and our client could see the various dirt moving equipment, and the evaporation ponds. It let him know what that business was worth.

We were flying another site that was next to a nuclear power plant. Our airplane had to fly directly over the power plant to make turns. A local county sheriff saw the airplane and read the tail number. He called the local airport to have them call the pilot and tell him to stay away from the power plant or he would shoot down the airplane! The tower told the sheriff he can't do that. He looked up the FAA registry of the tail number (anyone can) and found the name of the company, and asked what the home airport was. He met the pilot on the ground and was wanting to arrest him. Our pilot was a long time very experienced pilot and he told the sheriff he has no authority whatsoever over where he flies. The sheriff finally backed down when he talked to an air traffic controller at that airport.

That same pilot was around in the 1970s when a president in Air Force one changed his mind on where he wanted to go. There is always a TFR around Air Force one, and our pilot clipped the edge on it. He said all of a sudden a F-16 came screaming past as he trundled along at 100 knots running the aerial camera. He said the same F-16 came past again, almost standing on his tail to move that slow. He was met by the FBI when he landed and and had to show them why he was there, and they eventually admitted there was no danger to the POTUS.

I was on my way home from work a couple of weeks ago and saw a drone hovering ~50' over the eastbound lanes of I10. I was thinking that the authorities probably wouldn't be very happy about that.

Too bad Silly String won't reach 100 feet or more.

The FAA control thing is strange. Aircraft are required to stay above 1000' over populated areas.
And 500' after take off before initiating a turn. I know because I live under a general aviation pattern that sees 200 planes a day. A drone here is a serious violation because of the GA activity.

So are any balloons. I'm talking about kids balloons. Hard to find the source of those too.

We had an incident about a drone where some fool went on the Nextdoor app and asked about his missing drone. You would have thought that the tar and feather squad was convening. I've never seen one flying in real life.

I have to emphasize the rules about shooting anything towards the sky in a flight pattern. You'll get a visit by the FBI if the cops don't get you first.

Just give me a wave off and I'll leave

There were drones flying faster than the Indy cars @ the LBGP and they follow the race course with uncanny ability.
Lots of insurance companies are reviewing their clients property conditions for upkeep or hoarding of stuff. My roof was drone reviewed per my agent to verify it was a new TPO type roof with solar panels as I stated. If you get caught falsifying, welcome to the high risk pool for 3 years minimum.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1713632740.jpg

We used law enforcement ranges and fired at Department-owned drones. We fired with shotguns (12 gauge 00 Buck), .308, .223, and a specialized round that opened up with a net. Even our best shooters were unable to strike a moving drone.

The variables with distance, height, and angles made the shots almost impossible.

We also printed 3D 40mm ordnance-dropping devices that attached to drones, similar to what is being used in Ukraine, to drop inert explosives over targets. It was scary how simple it was to do and how devastating the results could be.

I fear that it is only a matter of time before it becomes an issue in the US.

One of these?
https://outdoormoran.com/best-hunting-slingshots/

Rocks!!!

signed....

Ernest T Bass

FWIW .... I've never seen one .... just a matter of time I reckon.

You mean like registering firearms. Where the people you would need to be registered aren’t…

I've found the best counter for drone is to drop it down a gear and get those revs up over 3500.:)

LOL! Yep, that would do it!

Pull ....

Seen at the entrance to the Pebble Beach Concours d' Elegance.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1713659046.jpg

US has very successfully regulated (banned) devices with rapid expansions.
Molotov cocktails… not so much.

I recently flew my drone around your house.............really, some people you just don't want to see Naked coming out of the Shower...............and you should get that red pubic rash looked at soon.............

hmmm.....


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^^
That looks like a video game.

Has anyone seen those toroidal blades for drones? More lift and way quieter.


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Well they can be quieter if properly designed according to MIT.

Ukraine and Israel have a lot of experience shooting down drones. I am curious what they have learned.

One tidbit I read was that in Ukraine, their tanks and IFVs are often accompanied by mobile anti-aircraft platforms (Gepards), because otherwise Russian drones can take out even main battle tanks (Leopards, Abrams), and the Ukrainians similarly have destroyed a lot of Russian armor with drones.

I've been thinking of loading up TTS shotgun shells. 70 yard range #9 shot I kinda think a have a good chance at knocking one down but I'm a wingshooter, if I can drop greenwing teal I can probably hit a drone. But some of the racing FPV drones go over two hundred miles a hour and are pretty nimble so it would sure suck if it was life and death. If you were defending against more than one you'd be toast. I'm talking as civilian of course, and in a law-less situation.

At the present time, any drone under 250g doesn't have to be registered yet. I can fly my Mini2 for about 30 min straight and about a mile away, but I have to use a spotter with binos to be legal, as I loose sight of the fist sized thing after about 300 yards. Pretty sure in the next year of so my DJI Mini will get the ban hammer so it'll be a paperweight.

Without large amounts of electricity, and dangerous energy transmissions I don't think a civilian has access to anything that can drop drones? Mark my words they will be a terror for everyone at some point. It's a personal guided missle.-WW

"Destroy" is not the accurate term for small drone on armor: Disable is.

We are actively working the armed, expendable drone requirements with a company that knows Army requirements.

Again, this is a big deal: https://www.military.com/daily-news/2020/06/30/these-are-7-anti-drone-weapons-us-military-plans-invest.html

I can't even shoot a duck, never mind a drone.

Col. Pat Costello, director of Army Futures Command’s Air and Missile Defense Cross Functional Team, said, “Nowhere during my career have I seen such transformation across a branch.”

Countering drones is a problem without one single solution, he said. The Army needs “to be agile in our processes and in our thoughts to keep up with the rapidly evolving threat,” he said.

https://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/articles/2023/6/1/army-transforms-integrated-air-missile-defense-capabilities

Army Futures Command’s Air and Missile Defense Cross Functional Team is based at Ft Sill. Lawton bought the local mall and has set it up for hosting companies working on this Cross Functional Team's requirements. The city calls it FISTA,. Multiple companies have space where they can work together along with Sill for Futures development. I believe there are seven CF Team's. Two of which are based at Sill.

City has done hell of a job putting it together.

https://thefista.com/about/


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They learned that it is easy to shoot down a $60k drone
with a $2 million missile.

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There's videos of rooskies shooting down Ukrainian drones with small arms... I wouldn't believe it if I didn't see the vidyas myself.

1)
*Drop a grenade into an open hatch*

2)
You said that already. lol

3)
A boot time the US knocked off a Russian jammer. *note* OCT 2022 Article
https://armyrecognition.com/defense_news_october_2022_global_security_army_ind ustry/russian_troops_successfully_use_harpoon-3_anti-drone_systems_in_ukraine.html

*COUGH* patriot

I am sure it is not illegal to shoot a gun in the air if you are not in town. The need to qualify their statements.

Otherwise, shooting clays, pheasant hunting and all would be illegal.

We call them airborne IEDs...asymmetric warfare at it's best, or worse, depending.

Things have changed and we are adapting, late as always.

LOL .... and every single shot I've ever taken was "in the air" .... angles do matter ;)

My understanding is that they are not supposed to be flying below a certain altitude, higher than I would worry about. That being the case, if it is low enough to be taken down, it is not being operated legally. If it is not being operated legally, they sort of forfeit their legal protection

That Pebble Beach no drones sign was a waste of paint, not legally enforceable.