The surge in sightings of unidentified flying objects along the East Coast — including above nuclear power plants and the US Capitol — has panicked residents, frustrated local officials and raised serious national security concerns.
While these aerial objects may prove to be harmless, their mysterious origins and unexplained nightly intrusions underscore the increasing threat posed by unmanned aerial systems, or UAS.
As drone tech advances faster than countermeasures, the United States must deploy more robust detection, tracking and mitigation technologies, especially around critical infrastructure and sensitive sites.
Some of the most effective tools for addressing this growing challenge may come from an unexpected source: Israel, which has honed cutting-edge technological advances during its ongoing war.
Israel has long been at the forefront of counter-drone technology due to its unique security needs.
Yet even the most technologically advanced countries today have vulnerabilities that constantly require new solutions.
On Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas laid the groundwork for its assault on southern Israel by using inexpensive commercial drones to drop explosives on cameras and communications infrastructure along the Gaza border.
Since then, Israel has been facing an array of malicious drone infiltrations.
In July, Houthi operators in Yemen flew an Iranian-made UAV more than 1,200 miles and crashed it into a residential apartment building directly behind the US embassy’s Tel Aviv branch, killing an Israeli civilian in his bedroom.
Days later, Hezbollah published video footage captured by its reconnaissance drones of Ramat David Airbase, at which the terrorist group launched missiles in September and October.
Most recently, Hezbollah slammed a kamikaze drone into Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s private home.
In anticipation of unmanned enemy threats, Israeli startups have pioneered systems designed to detect and neutralize drones in real time.
These technologies have been improved over the past 14 months of defending Israel’s skies against UAS incursions from Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, Yemen, Iraq, Syria and Iran.
Rogue drones often evade traditional detection technologies.
Radar and camera systems work well on clear days and in non-urban environments, but experience significant performance reduction in urban areas, non-line-of-sight conditions and inclement weather.
They also have a high false-alarm rate, often misidentifying birds and other objects as small drones.
And while radar can detect drones that emit no electronic signals, its hardware is heavy and expensive, limiting wide deployment.
R2 Wireless, a plucky Israeli startup founded by electrical engineers, has developed advanced systems that can passively detect drone communication signals.
This scalable software solution enables operators to pinpoint drones in all environments and under all conditions — and can also identify their make, model and operators.
R2 Wireless technology has been deployed in Israel to identify drone threats near borders, around cities and above critical infrastructure, and its system could certainly give New York and New Jersey officials a powerful tool to help solve their aerial mystery.
Long-term, R2’s tech provides a compelling strategic solution to be layered into America’s air defense systems, alongside existing radars, cameras and other detection methods.
In fact, NATO recently invited R2 to participate in a multi-layered counter-UAS exercise alongside prime global defense companies.
Perhaps the most theatric of Israel’s counter-drone innovations is Robotican’s Goshawk system, an aerial interceptor designed to hunt down and neutralize enemy drones.
Goshawk uses an autonomous drone equipped with nets that it automatically releases to capture drones in midair, minimizing collateral damage while ensuring that the intercepted drone can be analyzed for intelligence.
One of the more concerning conclusions to draw from the recent US drone sightings is that they are seemingly flying untracked and unmanaged across our skies.
As drone usage becomes more widespread, the need for unmanned traffic management systems is becoming indispensable.
Airwayz has developed a platform that can coordinate more than 1,000 drones at a time in a complex environment.
It has proven critical in managing Israel’s increasingly crowded airspace during the war.
This technology not only brings order to drone traffic, but can also predict flight paths and behaviors to sound early warnings of suspicious drones.
Of necessity, Israel’s war has proven to be a sandbox for testing modern defense innovation, including the ability to combat the complex challenges presented by drone warfare.
The mysterious drone sightings highlight a growing vulnerability.
The US would be wise to tap Israel’s battle-tested drone defenses for a modernized approach to safeguarding America’s airspace and protecting our communities.
Aaron Kaplowitz is president of the United States–Israel Business Alliance, which connects Israeli technology solutions to US challenges.
This post was originally published on here
