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Issue 18 Counter-UAS Newsletter 

Counter-UAS News from Around the World

Modern War Institute: WAR BOOKS: THE ERA OF THE DRONE, WITH DAN GETTINGER

Washington Times: Terror from skies as Mexican cartel attaches bomb to drone

“Mexican police discovered four men carting a kamikaze drone equipped with an IED and a remote detonator last week, in what analysts say is an example of cartels figuring out how to weaponizing UAVs. The disturbing development is a manifestation of something top American security chiefs warned Congress about earlier this year, when they said they feared terrorists would begin to use drones to attack targets within the U.S.”

Small Wars Journal: Mexican Cartel Tactical Note #35

“An improvised explosive drone (‘dron bomba’) was interdicted by Mexican Federal Police/Policía Federal (PF) in Guanajunto in Central Mexico at daybreak of Friday, 20 October 2017. Four men were arrested following a ‘high-risk’ vehicle stop on the Salamanca-Morelia highway.  The discovery of an improvised Unmanned Aerial System (UAS)—also known as an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)—is the latest example of cartel weapons evolution. The IED is consistent with recent papas bombas (potato bombs) employment by the Cártel Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG).  Guanajunto is currently contested by several cartels including the CJNG, Los Zetas, and the Sinaloa cartel.”

Janes 360: Orbital ATK progresses new medium-calibre munition development

“Orbital ATK is developing a range of new advanced medium-calibre ammunition variants for use with its 30/40 mm calibre MK44 XM813 and 30 mm calibre lightweight XM914 Bushmaster Chain Guns. The new ammunition types – command-guided, proximity fuze, and air burst – are intended to deliver enhanced capabilities for a wide range of land and air combat platforms.”

UAS Vision: Oregon Man Accused of Shooting Down $1,000 Drone

“A 33-year-old Oregon man faces accusations he shot down a $1,000 unmanned aerial vehicle Tuesday evening. The drone captured images of the shooter pointing a rifle just before the drone crashed to the ground, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office said.”

DroneII: Counter Drone Market Solutions – Overview and Perspectives

“As the recreational and commercial drone market evolves with light speed, chances to use this technology for civil uses grow – however, this also counts for possibilities to do harm. The ability to do damage in and outside of conflict zones with warfare tactics is frightening and creates an urge to protect oneself. But how?”

UAS Vision: DroneCatcher – Controlled Drone Interception

“The DroneCatcher system is one of the very few counter-drone systems, which is capable of eliminating rogue drones by catching and removing the threat in the air and by bringing it to a harmless place.”

UAS Vision: Deterring Drones from Ballparks and Botanical Gardens

“To study how an outdoor public space might shoo away unwanted drone aircraft, researchers from Duke University are teaming up with the Durham Bulls and the Sarah P. Duke Gardens to develop a set of affordable and aesthetic guidelines for deterring drones.”

Unicorn Riot: Law Enforcement Attack Private Drone as Water Protectors Erect Blockade & New Winter Camp

“Law enforcement attacked private drones with gunfire near the Dakota Access Pipeline camps on Sunday, October 23rd. Shooting ammunition at drones demonstrates continued escalation and provocation by police forces towards #NoDAPL water protectors as well as against media, as the drones were being flown for media purposes.”

UAS Vision: University of North Dakota UAS Counter-Measures Research

“University of North Dakota Electrical Engineering faculty member Naima Kaabouch focuses a lot of her time these days on devising ways to improve the safety and security of aircraft . Her work covers jamming, spoofing, and many other attacks that target UAS collision avoidance technologies: the Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) device, which broadcasts information about the aircraft carrying this device.”

Janes 360: Digitech launches C-UAV systems

“The Qingdao-based Digitech Info Technology (Digitech) unveiled its JAM family of indigenously developed counter unmanned aerial vehicle (C-UAV) systems at the latest Ocean Sciences and Technology Exhibition. The range comprises the vehicle-mounted JAM-1000, the manportable JAM-2000, and the static JAM-3000 devices.”

Las Vegas Now: Local inventor develops drone counter-attack to stop active shooter

“Here’s the idea: If there’s an active shooter somewhere above a crowd, you launch the drone. Its presence can be distracting enough, but there are items on the drone to help temporarily disable the gunman.”

Defense One:  The Pentagon’s IED-Hunters Have a New Target: Drones

“A short list of U.S. military outfits that develop tools and techniques to fight enemy drones includes DARPA, the services’ research labs — and now, the group created more than a decade ago to solve the IED problem.”

The Manila Times: ‘No fly zone’ declared over Asean Summit-designated areas

“THE Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) said that it would strictly implement a “no-fly zone” for drones or unmanned aircraft vehicle (UAVs) in areas where the 31st Asean Summit will be held from November 9 to 17.”

sUAS News: WhiteFox​ ​Gains​ ​International​ ​Recognition​ ​at​ ​Dubai​ ​UAS​ ​Forum

“The United Arab Emirates (UAE) hosted an international Unmanned Aircraft System Forum (UASF) to discuss the integration of UAS technologies into the airspace as part of their Smart Dubai Initiative. WhiteFox Defense Technologies, Inc. was invited to present both their world-leading counter-sUAS technology, the DroneFox, and their secure UAS communication system, WhiteFox Integrated Secure Device Management (WISDM).”

UAS Vision: Detection Program Finds Drones Over Joint Base

“According to the report, 52 instances of UAS activity were detected within the sensor’s range of approximately 1,000 to 2,000 meters during the 26 days of data collection at Fort McNair. The 30-day collection period at Fort Myer yielded 43 drone detections. Dedrone’s analysis found that all of the drone activity detected around Fort McNair took place during daylight hours, with many being of relatively short duration. At Fort Myer, however, where the sensor coverage overlapped with Arlington County, 14 of the 43 detections took place between midnight and 5 a.m.”

The Dedrone report can be found here.

You Tube: MQ-9 Shoot Down in Yemen Footage

Wavell Room: Reach for the Sky: drone use by sub-state actors in conflict

“As the battle for Mosul began, the so-called Islamic State (IS) unleashed its full military power. Suicide vehicle-borne IED’s (SVBIED) hit advancing columns of Iraqi forces, Inghimasi assaulted positions, blowing themselves up to breach Iraqi lines, and the air buzzed with the sound of IS drones. These drones were so numerous, and used to such effect, that US officials later stated that this was the first time since the Vietnam War that the US military were powerless against enemy aircraft.”

PetaPixel: This is the Chaos Caused by Flying a Drone Near an Airport

“On July 2nd, 2017, Gatwick Airport in the UK was forced to suspend its runways for a total of 14 minutes because a drone was flown in restricted airspace. This 2-minute visualization released by NATS shows the chaos that ensued.”

The Guardian: Foreign journalists charged after flying drone near Myanmar’s parliament

“Myanmar police have charged two foreign journalists and two Burmese locals after they flew a drone over the country’s parliament. The men – two of whom work for Turkish state media – will be held in custody until their first court hearing over allegations they breached import laws. The charges – relating to the import and export of “restricted or banned goods” without obtaining a licence – are punishable by up to three years in jail or a fine.”

The Register: DJI Aeroscope won’t stop drone-diddlers flying round airports

“DJI, the Chinese drone manufacturer, has been trying to win the trust of regulators with its new Aeroscope product. Yet the product itself falls short of its stated aim.”

SC Media: Cybersecurity firm builds drone-based attack platform

“An Arizona cyber research firm has developed an aerial drone that can be used to land on a roof and then hack into a network inside the building.”

9News: Islamic State drone blows up ammo dump

“Islamic State has claimed it launched a drone strike that blew up a Syrian army ammunition dump, causing a huge explosion.”

ABC News (Aust.): Drone smuggling contraband into Lithgow prison captured on CCTV

“A drone has been caught on CCTV dropping what appears to be contraband into Lithgow’s prison in NSW in a first for the state.”

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