The RF spectrum or Radio Frequency spectrum is that part of the electromagnetic spectrum that deals with radio waves. The radio frequency spectrum is generally agreed to include wave frequencies between 3 Hz to 3000 GHz. The significance of the RF spectrum to drone operations is that only certain bands, or groups of frequencies can be used for radio communications to control drones. So, all drone radios and drone controller transmitters used by the drone Pilot have to transmit in identified bands. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulates the spectrum in the U.S. and international counterpart agencies regulate national spectrum use for international partners. The vast majority of drone communications take place in the 2.45 GHz and 5.8 GHz ISM (Industrial, Scientific and Medical) bands while longer-range drones use UHF (Ultra High Frequency) 440MHz Amateur radio band.

As we stated before, jamming is the interfering with the radio link between the drone and the drone Pilot. Spoofing however, is the mimicking of the radio link between the drone and the drone Pilot in order to actually take control of the drone. As you can imagine, spoofing is much more complicated than jamming, particularly since it involves breaking the encryption of the signal between the drone and drone Pilot. Once the encryption is broken, spoofing then requires the detailed command structure an individual drone Pilot is using to effect control of the drone.

Yes absolutely. There are generally accepted to be seven different electronic jamming techniques, several of which are effective against drones. Excellence in counter-drone jamming relies upon the systems designers clear understanding of the balance between systems size, jamming technique, power, and the local environment.

Not necessarily. Much more critical is the technique used to confuse the signal between the drone, and the drone Pilot. This is not necessarily a factor of raw power in the jamming system or module. Well designed jamming systems or jamming modules can be both low power and still remarkably effective.

The “burn-through” range is the distance between the drone and the drone Pilot where the jamming signal is able to break the radio link. At this range, the drone Pilot has lost the radio link to the drone and it will go into lost-link protocol. As one can imagine, there are many factors that determine “burn-through” range. These include, jamming technique, jamming signal strength, distance between the drone and drone Pilot, distance between the drone and the jamming system. So there is no finite “burn-through” range for a particular jamming system or jamming module. “Burn-through” range is situational, and this is why it is impossible to unequivocally state the range performance of a jamming system or jamming module. The real answer is, it depends upon a number of factors.

Invisible Interdiction designs our jamming systems and jamming modules to be optimized for their use. Our man-portable systems are designed to provide the maximum effects with the minimum amount of power to be effective. This allows us to produce the smallest and lightest weight system. Similarly, our jamming modules are designed to provide jamming performance that is comparable to the other sensors in the layered defense system. This way our jamming modules can defeat a drone just as the radar or imaging sensor has detected and identified the threat. As the detection and identification sensors become more powerful, we’ve designed more capable jamming modules for those systems.

• UAV is the acronym for Unmanned Air Vehicles and is the more formal term for a drone
• UAS is the acronym for Unmanned Air Systems, which represent both the air vehicle (drone), the communication radio used to control the drone, and all ground support equipment necessary to maintain the drone