The end-to-end and fully BT managed solution is a combination of multi-sensor detection technology, an enterprise-grade network and a real-time alert system and according to BT has a range of up to 5km, can provide 360-degree detection coverage and provide early warnings to security teams. Its in-built tools can gather, process and report information in real-time, aiding reporting and the understanding of drone activity so that preventative measures can be put in place.
BT will deliver its counter drone solution in partnership with DroneShield, a company specialising in drone detection and disruption technologies. In recent years, DroneShield’s products have been used at a variety of sites and events, including the 2018 Olympic Games in South Korea, and by a number of high-profile defence organisations such as The British Army and the U.S. Department of Defense.
Where legal, BT’s counter drone solution also provides a range of countermeasures, such as fixed signal blockers that can jam drones up to 1.5km away, to portable disruptors that will help to deter and defeat drones. The use of active counter measures is highly restricted in the UK and requires prior government authorisation.
Simon Wingrove, director of strategy and incubation at BT said “Unwanted drone activity can have a dramatic effect on an organisation’s ability to function effectively and poses a real risk to safety. We believe that this partnership between BT and DroneShield will provide our customers with a best-in-class, integrated and secure drone detection solution.
“With BT’s world leading expertise in communications and networked IT services and DroneShield’s expertise in the counter-drone space, we are able to provide organisations with the security they need to detect and respond to unwanted drones before they become an issue.”
Oleg Vornik, DroneShield’s CEO, commented, “The recent disruptions at Gatwick and Heathrow airports have underscored the importance of counter drone capabilities for the UK’s critical infrastructure, as well as the fact that a range of corporate and public sector operators including security and law enforcement agencies, prisons, venues and events, data centres, VIPs, and many others, are at risk from rogue drone use. We are excited to work with BT to assist this global leader in infrastructure security with delivering solutions based on our experience in the rapidly-developing counter drone industry.”
