As drones continue to penetrate more areas of society, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are finding new homes within the security industry. Research is currently being performed on improving security operations now and in the future. There are multiple ways civilian drones are being utilized for security operations around the world. These include:

Drone Patrols
At construction sites or areas with large perimeters, drones are an excellent security tool to patrol the area. They can also be used for inspection purposes and logistical tasks, like the localization of goods, to optimize flow and storage. These patrols can also include a security officer on the ground and the drone in the area to improve inspection efficiency, quickly respond to security breaches, alarm a patrol response, search for missing persons on a property and analyze various facility management tasks like on roofs, tall chimneys, drains, and cables.

Home Security
The quickly growing market of security drones for home surveillance and monitoring is seeing major advancements in technology. With multiple companies offering home security systems, consumers have more of a choice now than in the past. Most systems offer in-ground sensors that coordinate automatic operations with the UAV. These systems use solar-powered sensors to detect signals, physical movements, and ground vibrations to determine if there is a breach. The more advanced systems have thermal sensors within the drone and can even chase a suspicious person off of the property.

Cultural Landmark Protection
Security drones can aid security guards in the monitoring and protection of cultural landmarks from vandals and thieves. They can also protect exhibits and people at open-air museums by monitoring the crowd. Furthermore, UAVs can guard outdoor historic artifacts and those admiring them.

Monitor Venues
At the moment, the Federal Aviation Administration bans the use of drones over stadiums during use. However, in the future, there could be the potential to utilize drones during events for security to protect the fans or concert-goers. Also, security drones are used in the offseason to protect the venue. Drone security teams can patrol back entrances, parking lots and large venues throughout and following the event to ensure the safety of the visitors.

Stopping Vandalism
Security drones are able to identify trespassers who are potentially vandalizing property. They can record or photograph the face of the trespasser which is kept in a database for future identification or provided to the police. The mere presence of a drone on the property could be a deterrent and make vandals think twice about entering the property or facility.

Anti-Drone Technology Development
When new technologies arise, new risks also become present. Since UAVs are also not safe from threats, anti-drone technology is concurrently being developed. The focus is on protecting embassies, public buildings, prisons, and overall perimeter surveillance. There are many anti-drone options available, including jamming components and net guns. In many countries, the jamming of any signal is illegal thus rendering the technology illegal. Also, net guns have a limited range and are no efficient when dealing with long distances.

Surveillance
Having an aerial perspective has a significant impact during surveillance operations. UAVs are an excellent choice for aerial surveillance because they perform well in poor weather and low visibility, can be quickly deployed, are significantly more cost-effective and less noticeable than helicopters and capable of long flight times Also, they are much more precise with data than satellites due to their proximity of the target and precision equipment. Furthermore, UAVs are simple to use so no length and expensive training programs are required.

Warning Systems
Warning systems using drones to spot unwanted UAV’s are slowly being implemented. Most systems operate on a radio frequency of 2.4GHz and 5.8GHz to listen for drone controlling signals which occur between the remote control to the UAV and video signals between the components. These systems are also equipped with video cameras to detect and verify the activity. Warning systems do not keep drones out of a specific area but only provide information that one is entering an area. To take the system a step further, a warning system drone must be able to respond to the alert or notify a security officer of the breach.

Wired Drones
Wired drones are a different type of UAV in that they source power through a permanent cable which limits their range but maximizes flight time. All controls and signals are transferred through this wire. The most likely location for such a device is on the roof of a building where the drone can take-off vertically, up to a reasonable altitude and take photographs or video of the surrounding area. Wired drones can be set to a schedule or be flown manually. When the drone is not in the air, it is hidden from the surrounding area.

To Wrap It Up
The usage of drones for different security tasks continues to develop and improve. While the legislation is starting to fall behind the speed of the technology, resulting in restrictions for the full potential of UAVs, there are changes occurring. With multiple security applications, drones are proving to be the wave of the future for patrols, surveillance, warning systems, and security.

About The Author

Mark Sheehan started My Drone Authority to share his knowledge and help people get the most out of this amazing hobby and profession.