Teledyne FLIR Participates in INTERPOL Drone Countermeasure Exercise

Today, perimeter security threats do not only include intruders who linger in the shadows with wire cutters. Lightweight, unmanned aerial systems (UASs) that can fly straight over perimeter fences carrying any number of payloads, in or out, have changed the game completely.

This has created a uniquely challenging environment for commercial and military security personnel alike. That challenge has not, however, gone unmatched. In September 2021, INTERPOL and Norwegian Police carried out a three-day exercise in Oslo to evaluate and test drone countermeasures in a secure airspace environment. Teledyne FLIR devices yielded superior performance in the tests, only further setting them apart as a competitive and reliable Counter UAS (C-UAS) solution provider.

Three Days of Assessment

Law enforcement, academia, and industry experts from Europe, Israel, and the United States gathered to test and assess 17 drone countermeasures, in order to ensure the safety of an airport environment through the detection, tracking, and identification of drones and their pilots. Each countermeasure was assessed and graded against set criteria, in partnership with the European-funded Project Courageous, which focuses on creating a European-wide framework for the selection, testing, and assessment of drone countermeasures for law enforcement. The results of these assessments will set a new standard across global industries.

“INTERPOL has taken the initiative for the drone countermeasure incursion exercise because member countries are facing the threat from drones every day,” said INTERPOL Senior Mobile Forensics Specialist Christopher Church. “This technology is so new and emerging; they need to understand it a lot better than they currently are. We are working with our member countries and with the industry to enlarge and enhance knowledge and expertise, so they can select the appropriate solution for the appropriate task.”

Rigorous Countermeasure Testing

For three days, the Norwegian Police-led assessments tested C-UAS passive detection systems, radars, multi-sensor systems, and countermeasures to determine which participant offered the best technologies in each category.

The objective, INTERPOL says, is to pool assets and knowledge that will provide member states with the information and means of assuring the security of airports, prisons, critical infrastructure, and cities where over-flight is banned.

It was widely acknowledged that FLIR C-UAS solutions excelled in all categories, which establishes FLIR C-UAS solutions as proven tools to detect, identify, locate, and track drone threats.

The FLIR C-UAS Solution

Using the best in thermal, visible, and radar technologies for detecting, identifying, locating, and tracking drones, FLIR radars and EO/IR multi-sensor devices are purpose-built to deliver reliable results. Integration with FLIR’s Cameleon platform enables these detection solutions to be combined with advanced C-UAS mitigation technologies from proven partner companies, to eliminate the threat and ensure critical assets are safe.

The conclusion is simple. When it comes to meeting the ever-growing drone threat head on, it’s imperative that security personnel use the best possible sensors to get the job done. As a result of the INTERPOL and Norwegian Police countermeasure tests in Oslo, Teledyne FLIR has set itself apart as an industry leader in C-UAS worldwide.