Swisscom Broadcast, a division of telecom Swisscom that specializes in video surveillance, IPTV, telehousing and more, and Dedrone, an anti-unmanned aerial system (UAS) company, are partnering to secure critical sites from drone threats.
The goal is to protect people, property and information from the threat of dangerous or unauthorized drones that may wander accidently or intentionally into critical airspaces.
Swisscom will implement Dedrone’s counter-drone solution for its projects to protect critical infrastructure, facilities, airports and events as well as companies in the pharmaceutical and watchmaking industries. The solution will also allow law enforcement agencies to ensure public safety in their regions.
There are more drones than ever in the air with frequent use of the devices for delivery and inspection of infrastructure. As more UAS enter the airspace, drone detection and threat mitigation are more important than ever, Dedrone said.
Swisscom and Dedrone offer airspace security, extending security beyond the height of any fence at critical sites and across cities, allowing security providers to differentiate between cooperative drones and unauthorized or nefarious drones.
Dedrone technology detects, identifies, locates and mitigates drone threats to protect airspace. Swisscom will help customers through every step of integrating Dedrone technology from basic modules for detecting drones to integration with drone defense systems.
Remote ID has become a popular issue after repeated flights of drones caused issues globally, In 2018, a significant drone misadventure grounded flights at Gatwick airport in the U.K., affecting the travel plans of about 110,000 passengers. In January 2019, drone sightings near New Jersey’s Newark Liberty International Airport disrupted flights both in and out of the airport. With other incidents continuing to crop up and airports taking aggressive actions against drones flying in their airspace, remote ID is being seen as a critical technology to prevent further interruptions or potential damage done.
And issues are continuing with unauthorized or dangerous drones impeding critical airspace unabated and causing massive disruptions in some places. With more drones than ever in the air, this problem will likely continue to be an issue moving forward.
