Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
FAA Steps Up Research of Drone Countermeasures
The agency has signed cooperative research and development agreements to test counter-drone systems from several companies at selected airports.
This photo depicts Anti-UAV Defense System developed by UK companies. (Photo: Blighter Surveillance Systems)
This photo depicts Anti-UAV Defense System developed by UK companies. (Photo: Blighter Surveillance Systems)

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration is stepping up research into systems that could protect airports from rogue drones. Under its “Pathfinder” initiative on unmanned aircraft systems, the FAA in May signed cooperative research and development agreements to test prototype counter-drone systems from three companies at selected airports. These added to a 2015 agreement the agency signed with defense contractor CACI International to test the latter’s “SkyTracker” system, which it evaluated earlier this year at Atlantic City International Airport.