Globally, both civil and military fields are actively promoting the research and development of counter-UAV technologies, including, but not limited to, early warning, detection, tracking, jamming, decoying, controlling, capturing, and destroying. This paper analyzes and summarizes the key elements and technical specifications of counter-UAV systems by researching domestic and foreign systems for readers' study and reference.
1. Key Elements of Counter-UAV
The Counter-UAV system is a complex software and hardware system involving multiple links, requiring the collaborative work of multiple sensors and systems and the fusion of tactics, technologies, and processes utilizing Counter-UAV. In terms of business processes, it consists of six phases: early warning detection, alert identification, disposal decision-making, defense implementation, threat deactivation, and effectiveness evaluation.
(1) Early warning detection phase.
Non-stop detection is carried out through a variety of drone monitoring technologies such as radar, 5G-A, radio detection, photoelectricity, sound, ADS-B and RemoteID, etc. (for the analysis of different detection technologies, please refer to the analysis of [Low Altitude Surveillance] Non-Cooperative Target Surveillance Technology and [Low Altitude Surveillance] Cooperative Target Remote Recognition Technology), to capture the signals of the suspected “black flight” drones. “At the same time, an alarm is issued and functional departments are notified to deal with it, and the alarm information should include key parameters such as the target's initial position, altitude, speed, and flight direction. The focus at this stage is to have the ability to discover and locate low-slow and small targets, to obtain preliminary intelligence, and to pay attention to indicators such as probability of detection, probability of false alarms, detection accuracy, and alarm delay.
(2) Alert identification phase.
Functional departments verify the alert information and continue to implement stable tracking, further identifying the type of target (manned aircraft, unmanned aircraft, airborne objects, etc.) through cross-comparison, algorithmic evaluation, and data analysis of multiple detection means. For example, the photoelectric equipment captured the target image and corroborated it with the radar data to identify it as a black-flying drone, or the radio detection equipment confirmed it as a certain brand of drone through spectrum analysis. The focus of this stage is to have the ability to identify and track low and slow small targets, to provide support for subsequent disposal, and to pay attention to indicators such as the frequency of detecting information updates, tracking stability, identification accuracy, and identification decision time.
(3) Disposal decision-making stage.
Functional departments analyze the flight trajectory and possible destinations of black-flying drones based on detection and identification intelligence, combined with artificial intelligence and other technology-assisted decision-making, judge their flight status and flight intentions, conduct risk assessment of the target (risk of intrusion into sensitive areas, risk of conflict on existing routes, etc.), activate corresponding emergency response plans for different levels of threat, and form a proposal for disposal by combining policies, regulations and on-site conditions ( Confirm whether a strike is required for disposal). At this stage, the focus is on clarifying the threat level of the target and quickly forming a disposal recommendation, paying attention to indicators such as track prediction capability, risk assessment efficiency, reasonableness of the disposal recommendation, and response time.
(4) Defense implementation stage.
Functional departments according to the disposal of different threats and other targets suggested the implementation of black-flying UAV countermeasure strikes, which can be carried out through electromagnetic jamming, satellite positioning jamming, acoustic jamming, hacking technology and other jamming blocking class technology, but also through the capture network, drone capture, eagle capture and other interception capture class technology, as well as missiles, laser weapons, microwave weapons, fighting UAVs, as well as conventional firepower, and other direct destruction class methods (different countermeasure techniques can be analyzed in [Low Altitude Countermeasure] UAV Countermeasure Technique Analysis). Taking different threat level targets as an example, for low threat level, the controller of the drone can be warned through radio signals to leave the no-fly zone immediately; for medium threat level, signal jamming means are used to block the communication between the drone and the controller, forcing the drone to return to its flight path or to land; and for high threat level, signal jamming is used along with intercepting and destroying means, such as the launching of a net catching device or the use of laser strikes, when necessary. . While implementing countermeasure strikes, keep a record of the violation, execute the corresponding emergency plan (such as crowd evacuation, emergency shelter, etc.), and continuously follow up on the results of the countermeasure strikes to dynamically adjust the countermeasure strategy. The focus of this stage is on the strategy implementation of defense and the effect of strikes, paying attention to the reasonableness and timeliness of the countermeasure strategy, the success rate of countermeasure strikes, response time, and other indicators.
(5) Threat removal phase.
Functional departments carry out continuous monitoring of the countermeasure effect and airspace situation to ensure that the countermeasure strikes are successful, that ground buildings and personnel, existing routes and flights in the monitored airspace are no longer affected by black-flight interference or countermeasure equipment, and that communication, navigation, meteorological and other security systems have returned to normal, i.e., the threat has been lifted, and that the threat is lifted by informing the relevant units and personnel about it and by gradually restoring the normal air routes. This stage focuses on the formulation of threat-release criteria, which requires a full assessment of the effectiveness of countermeasures and the security of airspace.
(6) Effectiveness assessment phase.
Functional departments collect data and information during the disposal process, including the time and effect of detection and countermeasures, the linkage between departments and systems, and the impact caused, to improve the effectiveness assessment criteria and adjust the countermeasure strategies and contingency plans for the defense implementation phase as needed. In addition, the black flight incident is dealt with after the fact, and the violators and affiliated units are investigated, evidenced, and disposed of. This phase focuses on the evaluation of countermeasure effectiveness, paying attention to indicators such as the success rate, effectiveness, and response time of countermeasure strikes.
2. Counter-UAV Technical Specification
For the technical specification of Counter-UAV system, the group standard “General Requirements for Low, Slow and Small UAV Detection and Countermeasure System” (TSZUAVIA001-2021) was issued by Shenzhen UAV Industry Association in 2021, which is the first domestic general standard involving low, slow and small drone detection and countermeasure system, the standard integrates a variety of drone detection and countermeasure technologies, and the requirements stipulated in the standard provide a reference basis for the The requirements stipulated in the standard provide a reference basis for the overall performance, design and production, test and inspection, and application development of low-slow-small UAV detection and countermeasure products and services. In 2024, China Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPO) approved and issued two standards, “Technical Requirements for Handheld UAV Detection and Countermeasures Equipment” (T/AOPA 0067-2024) and “Technical Requirements for Fixed UAV Detection and Countermeasures Equipment” (T/AOPA 0068-2024), which stipulate the functions, features, performance indicators and technical requirements of handheld and fixed UAV detection and countermeasures equipment. It specifies the functions, features, performance indexes, and technical requirements of handheld and fixed drone detection and countermeasure equipment. The equipment level will focus on the detection and countermeasure coverage band range, angle, and radius, detection real-time and accuracy, equipment adaptability to complex environments, deployment flexibility, practicability, security, networking capability, as well as transmitting frequency, power, and other indicators. Combining the system-level indicators mentioned in the key elements of the counter-UAV system, including detection probability, false alarm probability, detection accuracy, alarm delay, information update frequency, tracking stability, identification accuracy, identification decision time, trajectory prediction capability, risk assessment efficiency, rationality of disposal recommendations and response time, and the success rate and response time of countermeasure strikes, etc., we can use this to build counter-UAV software and hardware system that meets the needs of urban security defense and control.
In general, compared with the rapid development of drone technology, counter-UAV systems are lagging in terms of both technical means and standardization due to factors such as late start, low attention, and limited application scenarios. However, with the establishment of the Low Altitude Department of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) in December 2024, which puts forward the development principle of “openness can only be achieved through proper management”, and the Central Air Traffic Control Office (ATCO) launching a pilot program in six cities, including Shenzhen, Hangzhou, Hefei, Suzhou, Chengdu, and Chongqing, to authorize the local government to test and validate the infrastructure safeguard capability and safety prevention and control capability in airspace below 600 meters, it is believed that the technological route and standard specification of the counter-UAV system will gradually become clearer and clearer. It is believed that the technical route and standardization of counter-UAV systems will gradually become clear, and the related industrial ecology and core technology are expected to accelerate the development.
3. Counter-UAV technology outlook
Future counter-UAV systems will need to focus on moving toward multimodal, intelligent, and low-cost development.
(1) Constructing a multimodal collaborative defense system.
At present, traditional individual UAV detection and countermeasures have shown their limitations when dealing with swarms composed of multiple UAVs of different types and functions, and because UAVs tend to be smaller, faster, more resistant to interference, more diverse, and more intelligent, for a long time to come, detection and countermeasure technology will lag behind the development speed of UAV technology, and it will be necessary to “see the trick and take it away”, so it will be necessary to integrate a variety of detection and countermeasure technologies, and to continuously improve the functions and performance of equipment, to build a multimodal collaborative defense system, and it will be necessary to realize a seamless connection from the detection to the countermeasure stage. In the detection phase, the system utilizes multi-sensor synergy and multi-source data fusion technology to realize all-around, all-weather monitoring of the airspace and accurately detect and identify different types of UAVs. In the countermeasure phase, the system makes decisions according to different strike targets and different countermeasure scenarios, selects the most suitable countermeasures, integrates soft and hard kills into one, and forms an all-around, multi-level intelligent countermeasure network.
(2) Enhance the intelligence level of counter-UAV systems.
Compared with the traditional counter-UAV technology that relies on manual intervention, AI can give the counter-UAV system a higher level of intelligence, which can significantly improve the efficiency of detection, decision-making, and countermeasures, and reduce the risk of manual misoperation. For example, through deep learning, AI can simulate a large number of counter-UAV scenarios to accurately distinguish between the target UAV and the surrounding objects, and even accurately recognize the subtle differences between different UAVs, and this excellent recognition and classification ability enables the counter-UAV system to accurately lock onto the target. For example, the trained AI can continuously optimize the decision-making deployment of the counter-UAV system, select the most suitable countermeasures according to the real-time situation, and precisely control the countermeasure equipment to carry out strikes, and in terms of decision-making accuracy, operational response speed and precision, the AI shows potential to surpass experienced operators. In addition, the future counter-UAV system will be more complex, with more frequent module interactions, and the integration of AI technology with all aspects of the counter-UAV system is a general trend.
(3) Improvement of cost-efficiency ratio and technological innovation.
Low cost-effectiveness is a major constraint on the development of counter-UAV technology. Currently, most drone detection and countermeasure technologies fail to effectively balance performance and cost, which will greatly affect the willingness of customers to invest in them, thereby affecting the sustainable development of the industry. In addition, most traditional counter-UAV equipment is fixed to the ground and lacks flexibility, with limited detection and countermeasure distances, and continued reliance on traditional equipment to counter-UAV will lead to an exacerbation of the problem of efficiency and cost ratio in counter-UAV technology. To solve this problem, there is a need to develop high-performance counter-UAV equipment that is lightweight and highly flexible, such as the use of portable jamming guns and vehicle-mounted detection and countermeasures combined with the use of counter-UAV systems, or the South Korean Block-I laser weapon with a containerized design, which can be rapidly deployed at borders or in cities. In the future, by lightening and miniaturizing more UAV detection and countermeasure equipment and integrating them into highly flexible mobile platforms such as drones, the problem of the low cost-effectiveness of existing counter-UAV technology can be solved to a certain extent, further promoting the development of counter-UAV technology.
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