DRONE THREAT
Pioneering anti-drone system installed at Guernsey prison
A Channel Island prison is deploying an innovative new system designed to prevent the delivery by drone of drugs, weapons and other contraband over prison perimeter walls.
Les Nicolles Prison on Guernsey has installed ‘Sky Fence’, which creates a 600-metre virtual shield around the prison that detects remote-controlled drones. Thus detected, rogue drones are then forced to retreat from the vicinity when sensors – dubbed ‘disruptors’ – block its frequency and control protocols.
The installation of Sky Fence, which emerged from a collaboration between Drone Defence and Eclipse Digital Solutions, is part of a £1.7m security revamp that also includes new surveillance cameras, lighting, fencing and alarms.
Perimeter fencing was provided by Zaun and Harper Chalice and then installed by Binns Fencing.
“Someone described it as the final piece in a prison’s security puzzle.” Richard Gill, CEO, Drone Defence
“This is the first time this technology has been used in any prison anywhere in the world,” said Prisoner governor David Matthews. “I would like to see it adopted in other UK prisons because it has become a significant problem. This is about prevention.”
Drone Defence founder and CEO Richard Gill said: “It disrupts the control network between the flyer and the drone. The drone then activates return to home mode and it will then fly back to the position where it had signal with its flyer.
“Someone described it as the final piece in a prison’s security puzzle. I think it could have a significant worldwide impact.”
Les Nicolles is a small mixed category prison with a capacity of just 139.
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Pioneering anti-drone system installed at Guernsey prison
A Channel Island prison is deploying an innovative new system designed to prevent the delivery by drone of drugs, weapons and other contraband over the perimeter walls of prisons.
Adam Bannister
IFSEC Insider | Security and Fire News and Resources
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Surely they can come up with something better than sending the drone back to its operator? Couldn’t they bring them down into flimsy catch nets suspended from the perimeter fence?
This system is not the first to be used in a prison. Our Repulse system has been installed in a prison but for reasons of security we will not disclose the location of the prison. Our Repulse system can cover most prisons with one Repulse360 unit and it can be left on 24/7 without the need of detection thus keeping the cost down. Why detect it when you can just Repulse it.
Now take this shield to the next level…. Take a PTZ dome with image tracking mount it upside down to scan the sky and invert the image so the CCTV operator can have useful images then have a second PTZ mount syncronised to follow the camera image but mount a drone gun to track and take control of the drone to seize the drone and contraband rather than just forcing the drone to retreat….https://www.droneshield.com/dronegun/
As this system block its frequency and control protocols of the drone/operator – how does that comply with OFCOM regulations?
What if the prison is programmed as home position? What happens if the flightpath of the drone is pre-programmed and the drone flies autonomous without a drone pilot?
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nice article it is very helpful