Terrorist attacks using drones pose new security threat

Terrorist groups have used or attempted to use aerial drones to conduct various types of operations, including intelligence collection, explosive delivery (either by dropping explosives like a bomb, the vehicle operating as the impactor, or the drone having an equipped rocket-launching system of some type) and chemical weapon delivery.

Hyderabad: In a first-of-its-kind attack in India, two low-intensity improvised explosive devices (IEDs) were dropped from a drone at the Indian Air Force (IAF) base in Jammu, and they exploded “close to the helicopter hangar”. Sources in the defence and security establishment said the spot of the explosion was much further from the outer perimeter wall of the airport and hence a grenade attack has been ruled out.

The technology of today, while impressive, is developing the tactics and techniques of future terrorist attacks. The most prescient current technology that will enable future terrorist attacks is the drone. Drones have the ability to provide standoff, which can enable terrorists to conduct multiple attacks nearly simultaneously, rapidly magnifying their overall effect. A terrorist attack is meant to create an atmosphere of fear to influence a target audience—a civilian population or government—to force or impose political change.

Past development and adaptation of drones

Professional militaries have used large, unmanned, aerial vehicles to support combat operations since World War II. Their limited initial success as weapon systems during World War II had expanded into intelligence collection by the time of theKorean War.As with other military technologies, over time, the capabilities of the systems found commercial applications.

Beginning in the early 2000s, the use of airborne drones by private individuals began to increase rapidly, caused primarily by the higher energy capacity of drone batteries, reduced motor size and enhanced motor power output. These factors enabled a much smaller form factor, with many drones being less than 2 ft (0.6 m) across, which allowed them to be produced commercially at a significantly reduced cost.

Terrorist groups have used or attempted to use aerial drones to conduct many different types of operations, including intelligence collection, explosive delivery (either by dropping explosives like a bomb, the vehicle operating as the impactor, or the drone having an equipped rocket-launching system of some type) and chemical weapon delivery.

Between 1994 and 2018, more than 14 planned or attempted terrorist attacks took place using aerial drones. Some of these were:

Some attempted drone attacks

Drone policy in India

The new drone policy of India, in place from December 2018 after the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) legalised flying UAVs for personal and commercial purpose, is open to both fixed and rotary wings-based drones, but requires pilots to submit the design of the drones for registration.

A drone policy 2.0 is being worked out to open up the use of UAVs to carry payloads by businesses. It will strengthen the regulation of drones with the new NPNT (no permission no take-off) rule, which will not allow a drone to fly without real-time permission for every flight.

Detection systems

With advancements in technology, the size of drones is continuously decreasing, making detection difficult because surveillance and radar systems are usually meant for larger objects. However, detecting airborne drones is critical for interdiction. Such work largely falls within four categories: RF analysis, acoustic sensors, optical sensors and radar.

• The forces are still in the process of acquiring anti-drone technology in large numbers. The Navy had recently gone in for procurement of Israeli anti-drone system “Smash 2000 Plus”.
• Israeli firm‘Smart Shooter’ is also in talks with the two services.
• The Defence Research and Development Organisation has also developed an anti-drone system that was deployed at the Red Fort for the Independence Day address by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.