Renee Knight

Until recently, counter-UAS (C-UAS) deployments weren’t part of the security posture for state and local law enforcement agencies. Such equipment was reserved for high profile venues and events, and to protect our soldiers on the battlefield. Agencies didn’t have the budget, the authority, or really the need to invest in the kind of continuous airspace protection C-UAS affords. The federal government stepped in when needed to offer protection, and that was that.

For years, autonomous drone software was baked into platforms from the start, with manufacturers developing their own proprietary autonomy stacks. In this one-stop-shop approach, nobody sold the brains separate from the body. But, as needs on both the military and commercial sides have changed, so too has the overarching business model, resulting in a significant shift in the market.

Teledyne FLIR Cerberus XL C-UAS Image: Teledyne FLIR Countering nefarious drones is what many describe as a never ending game of cat and mouse. A threat is identified, a defense is deployed, the threat evolves to overcome that defense, and another defense must be fielded. The fact drones have become more sophisticated yet less expensive is accelerating that cycle, giving adversaries more opportunities to break through counter-UAS (C-UAS) protections.