It reads like something out of a scene in a James Bond movie. A massive presidential inauguration in Brazil is threatened by mysterious drones in the capital of Brasilia. But thanks to secret service operatives, the “suspicious drones” were brought down just in time — possibly saving untold lives in the process..According to press reports, it actually happened this week, as tens of thousands gathered to celebrate the inauguration of Brazil’s new president..Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who narrowly defeated incumbent Jair Bolsonaro in a fractious election last year, was sworn in at the Cathedral of Brasilia, in the South American country’s capital, according to a report in The Express..Affectionately known as Lula, the 77-year-old previously served as Brazil’s leader from 2003 to 2010. Presidential security utilized DroneGun Tactical, developed by Droneshield Ltd, to neutralize the four suspicious drones that were heading towards the president at the inauguration event, the report said. The equipment works by disrupting the signal which keeps unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) airborne..“Brazil is a key South American market for DroneShield and we are pleased to see deployment of our systems in the country at the highest level, which is expected to flow down to further systems being utilized in Brazil, as counter-UAS requirements continue to rapidly grow,” said DroneShield CEO, Oleg Vornik..The company expanded into the Brazil market in mid-2021 when it received formal approval from Anatel, the Brazilian National Telecommunications Agency responsible for issuing the concession of new radio frequencies. Following the approval, the company sold a quantity of its DroneGun Tactical™ units to the Brazilian government.. LuklaNewly elected Brazilian Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva greets crowds from the presidential Rolls Royce. He narrowly defeated incumbent Jair Bolsonaro during the last Brazilian election campaign. .DroneShield provides artificial intelligence-based tech to protect against advanced threats, like drones and other autonomous systems. It sells counter-drone (or counter-unmanned aircraft systems) and electronic warfare tech and off-the-shelf products designed to suit a variety of terrestrial, maritime or airborne platforms. The company’s counter-drone systems are now in service with the US Air Force, the French Army and the Tokyo Police, as well as military and law enforcement agencies in Australia..As we are now seeing in Ukraine, the emergence of drones and counter-drone on the battlefield is looming large. In fact, it's changing the way war is now being fought and how it will be fought in the future. Low-cost, lightweight and powerful, drones are also a concern when it comes to terrorist acts, drug cartels and even prison smuggling, Vornik said in an email to The Western Standard..According to the company’s website, the sector is a US$10 billion, rapidly emerging global market which did not exist 10 years ago..Both drone and counter-drone tech have come of age, from the early days of development into what is now very mainstream. Vornik adds in the last two years, the Australian-based company has made a significant investment in scaling its operations. In doing so, he says, “We continue to meet delivery expectations of our customers as we rapidly scale up.”.It also teamed with Operator Tactical Solutions (Operator) to provide Virtual Reality based counter-drone training..Controls for DroneShield’s latest anti-drone trainer feature an instructor tablet and a virtual reality headset. Also, an interactive action review option allows users to replay the simulated training sessions from any angle.. DroneshieldA Brazilian Secret Service agent carries a Droneshield anti-drone weapon, during the recent presidential inauguration in Brasilia. .“As the counter-drone industry continues to rapidly grow and develop, evidenced by significant use of small drones by both sides in the Ukraine war, there is an emergent need for counter-drone tactics and training packages for the system operators,” Vornik told TheDefensePost..“We are excited to partner with Operator, who have deep experience in defence and law enforcement eXtended Reality training, and work in partnership with our customers to tailor design packages to meet their operational requirements.”.Without question, there is a nightmarish potential in drones, and countries are quickly recognizing it. A swarm of drones, for example, could cause havoc..A drone carrying conventional explosives and radioactive dust could also render an entire area radioactive — a drone dirty bomb..In a swarm, some would be decoys and some could be suicide drones. While some may get downed, some may also get through — a thought which likely worries military planners and security teams..The only good thing, is that drones are slow and can be downed by a variety of methods..Israel’s Iron Dome system demonstrated this ability in combat. High-energy lasers are another technology being developed to zap drones. One wonders, though, how they will perform on a foggy day..Experts also say something as simple as a chicken-wire net, could haul down a drone swarm. Along these lines, Israel has been experimenting with nets to catch and debilitate offensive drones..The most effective method of combating an autonomous drone swarm may be the use of electromagnetic pulses, or EMPs..An EMP pointed at a swarm could disable the whole swarm by frying the electronics in every drone. That’s the idea, of course. Easier said than done..However, it’s clear more and more drones will be sent to war. And, as the saying goes, only the strongest will come out alive.
