2024年12月26日
Jamming Drones at Airports
The most significant aspect of jamming is power. In straightforward terms, if the signals transmitted by the pilot and the GPS are strong enough for the drone to successfully demodulate and decode them, even in the presence of jamming noise, the jamming will not achieve its intended effect. Typically, any fixed omnidirectional or directional jammer would be installed on the airfield, whereas the illicit drone operator is expected to be positioned outside the boundaries of the airfield.
Within the confines of the airfield, the signal strength transmitted to the pilot will weaken as the distance from the drone increases. In contrast, the influence of the jamming signal on the drone will become more pronounced as it moves closer.
Therefore, theoretically, the success of jamming is influenced by the jammer's location in relation to the area it covers, assuming there is a clear line of sight. Nonetheless, as discussed earlier, any equipment operating on the four relevant frequencies will encounter interference.
Airports are often characterized by vast and sometimes irregularly configured boundaries. As a result, the deployment of fixed jammers, both omnidirectional and directional, may require the use of multiple devices to effectively cover the airport's territory. This is applicable to all solutions, given their specific range limitations; nonetheless, some systems may prove to be more effective by utilizing additional techniques. In particular, larger airports may necessitate the installation of more than one system to adequately protect the entire area.
Another possibility is to implement targeting jammers alongside fixed jammers to eliminate coverage deficiencies, or, as a standalone jamming method, to engage a qualified and authorized security or police quick reaction force (QRF).
The layout of an airport, characterized by its runways, taxiways, aprons, peritracks, and access roads, creates various difficulties. Considering the considerable power necessary to successfully jam a drone and the extensive area of the airport, it is probable that the security or police Quick Reaction Force will have to traverse the airport in order to position themselves for the uav jammer operation.
This complexity is heightened by the erratic flight path of the drone, which requires the jammer operator to direct and engage the jammer gps at the drone as it comes within range, regardless of its angle. Handheld targeting jammers differ from lasers in that they do not emit a focused beam; instead, they project a cone of radio frequency energy, typically spanning from about 40° to 90°, which may interfere with other devices located within that cone.
