Secret military technology helped protect Trump's inauguration.

The U.S. Secret Service has to employ many advanced technologies to neutralize the threat posed by remotely controlled flying devices such as drones.

DroneShield's radio wave gun. Photo: NBC News

As hundreds of thousands of people gathered in Washington D.C. to watch the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump, the U.S. Secret Service faced a new threat from unmanned aerial vehicles (drones). The Department of Homeland Security said it is deploying defensive technologies to counter this threat, NBC News reported on January 19.

Drones have become increasingly popular in recent 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 many, leading US special forces to call them "flying improvised explosive devices."

This prompted security forces in Washington DC to pay particular attention to drones during Donald Trump's inauguration. "Drones are completely banned from Washington DC airspace. This is something we planned for, and we have the technology to deal with them," said US Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson. However, he declined to disclose details of US anti-drone technology.

Experts say detecting small drones is very difficult, not to mention deploying interception strategies from the ground. Traditional radar is ineffective because it easily confuses signals from birds with those of drones.

In addition to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, many private companies are also developing their own anti-drone technology. DroneShield uses a series of microphones to identify the engine sounds of remotely controlled aircraft, then gains control or jams them using a radio beam gun.

This 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 authorized to use DroneShield technology.

According to VNE