Secret military technology helps protect Trump's inauguration

The US Secret Service must apply many modern technologies to neutralize the threat from remote-controlled flying devices such as flycams.

DroneShield's radio wave gun. Photo: NBC News

As hundreds of thousands of people gather in Washington DC to watch the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump, the US Secret Service faces a new threat from remote-controlled aircraft (flycam, drone). The US Department of Homeland Security said it is deploying defense technologies to counter this threat, NBC News reported on January 19.

Drones have become increasingly popular over the years, but they can be dangerous in the wrong hands. Islamic State (IS) militants have used explosive-laden drones to attack Iraqi security forces, killing and injuring so many that US special forces have dubbed them "flying homemade bombs."

This has made security forces in Washington DC pay special attention to drones during Donald Trump's inauguration. "Drones are completely banned in Washington DC airspace. This is something we have planned for, and we also have the technology to handle them," said US Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson. However, he refused to reveal US anti-drone technology.

Experts say detecting small drones is difficult, let alone deploying ground-based interception. Traditional radars are ineffective because they can easily confuse birds with drones.

In addition to the Department of Homeland Security, several private companies are developing their own anti-drone technology. DroneShield uses a series of microphones to identify the sound of a remote-controlled aircraft’s engine, then takes control or jams it with a radio-beam gun.

The system has proven effective in Australia and Türkiye. However, jamming signals in the US requires permission from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Currently, only the US military and Secret Service are allowed to use DroneShield technology.

According to VNE