| VIP Protection

When they first appeared, drones were considered more of a novelty toy for those who could afford them. However, as the market developed, technological advances made drones more accessible and easier to fly. With minimal skill required to fly a quadcopter drone equipped with an HD camera, the sky soon becomes a playground for the morally ambiguous.

Whether it's the paparazzi or a political adversary, the logistics of protecting high-security personnel have significantly increased due to the potential threat a drone can bring. With them becoming more accessible, this once annoying toy can now become a tool to perform many nefarious acts. In 2018, Venezuela's President Nicolás Maduro survived an alleged assassination attempt after two drones primed with explosives were detonated overhead as he gave a live televised speech.

However, the presence of drones does not always mean danger. Many special forces and high-level security teams tasked to protect politicians and other high-security personnel already use drones to monitor their surroundings. Because VIP visits, international conferences etc., are usually temporary affairs, a flexible counter-drone deployment may be required for a short period. For this reason, any CUAV measures have to offer operational agility and the ability to determine a friendly UAV and what presents a potential security risk.