Commercial Drones Over International Airports

Emerging Security Threats In Aviation

April 10, 2023

Commercial Drones Over International Airports

    A common security concern present in modern aviation is that             of civilian Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) coming in contact with commercial aircraft operating throughout International Airports. With the constant improvements in technology and accessibility we continue to see the unwanted interaction between these commercial drones and jet liner aircraft. Following recent investigations, "FAA data reviewed shows 13 incidents during 2022 near and around Palm Beach International Airport involving commercial and private aircraft. One pilot flying an Airbus A321 from Atlanta reported an unmanned aircraft at 1,200 feet just 3 miles west of the airport." (Buczyner, 2023, para 5).

    Whether or not the act of flying these drones is malicious in nature remains irrelevant  because it still poses a security risk at different levels when considering the technology being utilized. The concern I have withe TSA layers of security is that they seem to mainly apply to threats occurring within the confines of the airport terminal. These drones can be associated with the 8 signs of terrorism we reviewed in lesson 4.2 such as Surveillance and Tests of Security. To combat these threats, the TSA is still hard at work to develop the technology needed to provide a safe environment for aircraft. "Following dozens of drone sightings — and a handful of reports of a “guy in a jetpack”— near Los Angeles International Airport, the Transportation Security Administration will test new technology to spot, track and identify drones in restricted airspace." (Hernandez, 2022, para 1). The FAA taking action to develop a technology that will quickly identify and terminate these drones will lead to a safer aviation environment that prevents the malicious surveillance or physical contact with the commercial aircraft that could cause a catastrophic event. If I could offer a solution to  issue it would be for the stronger enforcement of software preventing the operation of these drones in areas such as airports and military bases.

References

Buczyner, M. (2023, March 03). Drones spotted near aircraft. WPTV.

             https://www.wptv.com/news/local-news/investigations/drones-spotted-near-aircraft-airports-increased-dramatically-in-last-2-years-faa-says

FAA. (2022, September 21). No Drone Zone. FAA. https://www.faa.gov/uas/resources/community_engagement/no_drone_zone

Hernandez, S. (2022, August 25). TSA will test drone-tracking tech at LAX. Los Angeles Times.

             https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-08-25/new-tech-to-track-and-identify-drones-lax