The recent growth in the number of UAVs – from the sophisticated devices deployed by the military to lower-cost recreational versions – has been exponential. From a security perspective, it presents both opportunities and threats. Whether at a port or a train station, a stadium or a border, UAVs can provide 360-degree aerial view of any facility that needs to be protected. At the same time, however, they can be used to subvert traditional security.
According to Jörg Lamprecht, Managing Director and Co-Founder of Transport Security Expo (Transec) exhibitor, Dedrone, some 400,000 UAVs from a growing number of manufacturers are being sold globally every month and their capabilities are increasing all the time. In the hands of inexperienced users, they can present significant problems, including potential collisions with aircraft. In the hands of criminals or terrorists, they can be used for anything from smuggling drugs into prisons to delivering lethal payloads. UAVs have also been used for industrial espionage.
Both the positive and the negative aspects of UAVs will be represented at Transport Security Expo with a number of exhibitors showcasing. Excelerate, for example, the provider of real time data, video and voice transmission systems for harsh and remote environments will be showcasing their UAV as part of a fully enabled, integrated situational awareness. Lightweight and agile, the device can broadcast video or still images to a PC or tablet over a range of up to 2km, the makers say.
Dedrone will be showing their DroneTracker. With a system of interacting optical, acoustic and frequency sensors, DroneTracker is able to detect all types of drones and is available as a fixed installation, enabling the protection of whole buildings and facilities, and in a mobile version which can be installed anywhere. Jörg Lamprecht will also be giving a presentation in the Security Innovation Seminars theatre under the title “Drone Detection Technology: How to Protect Your Airspace against Rogue Civil Drones”.
Peter Jones, CEO of Transport Security Expo’s organisers, Nineteen Events, said: “UAVs are very much a hot topic at the moment and look set to remain a major security issue as their numbers increase dramatically along with the range of uses, good and bad, to which they are being put. Transport Security Expo will be providing visitors with an unparalleled insight into the implications of UAVs for all sectors of the transport industry. ”
Registration for Transport Security Expo is free and includes access to the exhibition as well as all conferences and workshops and the evening networking reception hosted on Wednesday, December 2. The event runs on December 2 and 3 at London Olympia.
