In an attempt to counter rogue drones that are flown within a five-mile radius of selected U.S. airports, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is testing anti-drone technology created by partner, CACI international. The FAA indicated at a drone safety hearing before the House Transportation Subcommittee on Aviation, that the technology under test pinpoints drone operators and forces the drone to land. According to the FAA, there is an increase in reports of drones in proximity to runways and estimates are that there are approximately 100 reports per month from pilots reporting sightings.
While few cases are pursued and prosecuted, causing criticism of the agency, the FAA is beginning to crack down on unauthorized drones. Recently, SkyPan International was fined $1.9 million for illegal flights over New York and Chicago.
The technology works by passively detecting, identifying and tracking drone operators by monitoring RF signals between the drones and controllers. The agency indicated that it will take until 2017 to finish drone regulations.
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