DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.,
May 15, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ --
New technology that detects and commandeers unauthorized drones,
guiding them to land safely, will be commercialized under a
licensing agreement between Embry-Riddle
Aeronautical University and Drone Defense Systems LLC of
Daytona Beach, Fla.
The technology, developed by Embry-Riddle faculty member Dr. Houbing Song,
suggests a safe, affordable way to neutralize rogue drones –
without having to shoot them down or force them to crash-land –
even in civilian settings such as large outdoor entertainment
arenas and airports.
Under the newly inked licensing agreement, Drone Defense Systems
LLC received exclusive rights to commercialize the technology, said
Dr. Stephanie A. Miller, executive
director of technology transfer for Embry-Riddle's Research Park. In addition, company
Founder and CEO Sotirios George
Kaminis will work with Song and Embry-Riddle to further refine the concept, build a
prototype, and pursue related products, Miller reported.
How does the technology work?
Song's proposed system leverages a network of wireless acoustic
sensors to identify a flying drone. To distinguish drones from
birds, Song and his Ph.D. students – Yongxin Liu and Jian
Wang – built a computer-based "brain" called a neural
network that is continuously learning and therefore getting
smarter. After the system confirms a drone, the acoustic sensors,
working in tandem with beacon receivers, transmit information to a
control center.
If the drone is on an unauthorized flight, Song's system uses
sophisticated pattern-recognition techniques to decipher the
drone's video-streaming channel and interrupt the broadcast with a
warning message. "For each drone," Liu explained, "the acoustic
pattern might be a little different, but we can tell them apart,
just as anyone can distinguish between a songbird and the noise of
a crow."
The system can also hijack the drone's communication channel to
trigger its pre-determined return flight, or otherwise trick the
drone into leaving the area, said Song, an assistant professor in
the Electrical, Computer, Software and Systems Engineering program
and director of the Security and Optimization for Networked Globe
Laboratory (SONG Lab).
Kaminis explained the technology this way: "It disrupts
communication between the pilot and the drone. It detects the
drone, finds out what language the drone speaks, activates an
emulation system that mimics the drone's language, and snatches
control away from the pilot."
A Growing Problem
The technology addresses an increasing public safety and
security risk. "Reports of drone sightings from pilots, citizens
and law enforcement have increased significantly over the past few
years," Song noted. "The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration
currently receives more than 100 such reports each month. The goal
of our technology is to counter unauthorized drones effectively,
while ensuring low collateral damage and low cost per
engagement."
Existing strategies for combating rogue drones range from
dispatching birds of prey to shooting bullets, nets or
channel-jamming electromagnetic noise at unauthorized drones.
Military and corporate drone-jamming technologies do exist, Kaminis
said, but the cost of those systems makes them inaccessible for
smaller airports or private venues.
By comparison, Song's system could be manufactured at lower
cost, Kaminis said. It would also work over long distances and in a
variety of settings. "Our solution is friendly," Song said. "Rather
than destroying the drone, we guide it to a safe landing
place."
This approach offers important advantages, said Kaminis, whose
company already markets another counter-drone technology. "My
existing product is intrusive – it's considered a weapon because it
jams drones and makes them fall out of the sky. The Embry-Riddle technology is non-intrusive, so it is
ideal for civilian applications and easy to export as it doesn't
fall under ITAR (International Traffic in Arms Regulations)."
Kaminis and his wife, Rita, moved from Greece to Daytona
Beach in the early 1980s, when he attended Embry-Riddle. One of the Kaminis' two sons,
Angelos, is now a student at the university who also serves as
manager of Student Union operations and events. Kaminis is
optimistic about the potential for Song's invention. "When people
work together and put their heads together, great things can
happen," Kaminis said. "We're going to make history for
Embry-Riddle."
A U.S. patent application has been filed by Embry-Riddle, Song and his Ph.D. students Liu and
Wang. Song credited Dr. Susan Allen,
associate dean for research in Embry-Riddle's College of Engineering, with
introducing him to Kaminis.
SOURCE Embry-Riddle