Anti-drone market worth $2 billion by 2024

The global anti-drone market is anticipated to be worth $1.85 billion by 2024, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The increasing use of drones has resulted in the commencement of another market that focuses on a solution for rogue unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), complete with net-firing bazookas, electromagnetic shields, and anti-drone death rays.

The steep rise in the adoption of drones for commercial as well as recreational purposes has increased concerns regarding aerial attacks and threats. Detection and identification of these unmanned aircraft systems have become a vital factor for the maintenance of the security. Various institutions across the world are increasingly deploying counter drone measures to address the ever-growing need for safety and security.

As UAVs become deadlier, stealthier, faster, agile, smaller, sleeker, and cheaper, the nuisance and threats posed by them are expected to grow at numerous levels, ranging from personal/domestic privacy to national security. With that in mind, there is significant effort both in terms of money and technology being invested in the development of anti-drone technologies.

Various national security agencies across the world have started to precisely understand the potential threats from drones and increasingly considering commercial as well as consumer drones as the new major threat to the world. It is only a matter of time before redundant and reliable methods of countering drones become mainstream and widely available.

Several busy airports and hubs across the world are seeking defense measures and regulations to protect their airliners and harbored aircraft from drones straying into commercial airspace and posing innumerable threats of a collision.

AT&T and NASA are researching the development of an Unmanned Aircraft System Traffic Management solution that would support the safe and highly secure operation of drones in the national airspace. A key element AT&T and NASA are researching is the potential impact of cybersecurity threats. The vast availability of drones -- and their many current and potential uses -- could increase their risk of cyberattacks. AT&T advocates cybersecurity protections designed into the system from the outset.

Further key findings from the report suggest: 

• Manufacturers across the world are increasingly developing innovative solutions to detect smaller recreational drones through their acoustic signature and visually.
• Asia Pacific is expected to witness the highest growth over the forecast period owing to increasing government spending in the expansion of aerospace and defense infrastructure across emerging economies.
• Electronic countermeasures are anticipated to emerge as a lucrative segment over the next eight years as these measures involve the use of high power electromagnetic and high power microwave weapons to prevent successful transmission and reception of drone signals.
• Various drone manufacturers, including DJI, have already started integrating "no fly zone" restrictions directly onto the onboard firmware in some of their products.
• Numerous reports of drone sightings have been coming from various members of the airspace system, which in turn is presumed to propel the adoption of counter-UAV systems in commercial venues.