The Edge of Drone Warfare | James Rogers | TEDxOdense
Summary
TLDRThe video script delves into the darker aspects of drone technology, highlighting the 2018 Gatwick Airport incident that disrupted thousands of flights. It explores the potential for misuse, from terrorist plots to military applications, and the subsequent development of counter-drone technologies. The speaker, an expert in drone warfare, underscores the need for regulation and advanced countermeasures to ensure public safety while harnessing the benefits of drone systems.
Takeaways
- 🎄 The script begins by setting a scene of a disrupted Christmas in December 2018, highlighting the impact of a drone incident at Gatwick Airport.
- 🕵️♂️ The drone was first spotted by a security guard, sparking a series of events that led to significant disruption at the airport.
- 🚁 The incident escalated with 92 confirmed reports of drone sightings, leading to a police investigation and the cancellation or delay of over a thousand flights.
- 🔎 The authorities struggled to identify the drone operators, with the incident lasting for 72 hours and involving high-tech counter-drone technologies.
- 👥 An innocent couple was arrested and their identities were widely publicized, illustrating the challenges in handling such incidents and the potential for public panic.
- 💣 The script discusses historical examples of drone misuse, including the Aum Shinrikyo cult in Japan, which planned to use drones to disperse chemical and biological agents.
- 🌐 The speaker mentions environmental activists and terrorist groups like ISIS using drones for various nefarious purposes, highlighting the evolving threat they pose.
- 🚀 The script also touches on the potential for drone attacks in Europe and North America, despite no successful attacks yet, and the need for robust counter-drone measures.
- 🛒 The potential for drone technology in delivery systems is highlighted, with major online companies testing drone deliveries, raising questions about the future of urban airspace.
- 🛡️ The development of counter-drone technologies is discussed, including high-tech solutions like drone guns, force fields, and laser systems, emphasizing the need for effective countermeasures.
- ⚠️ The script concludes with a call to action, urging the audience to consider the implications of drone technology and to push for proper regulation and countermeasures to ensure safety.
Q & A
What significant event occurred at Gatwick Airport in December 2018?
-In December 2018, a drone was spotted near Gatwick Airport, leading to a 72-hour period of chaos where over 1,000 flights were delayed, diverted, or canceled.
What role has the speaker played in relation to drone technologies?
-The speaker has been working on drones and drone technologies for a decade, advising NATO on terrorist drones and the UK Parliament on regulating rogue drone technologies.
What was the term used to describe the drones that caused the Gatwick incident?
-The term 'industrial quality drones' was used to describe the drones involved in the Gatwick incident.
What happened to the couple who were arrested in connection with the Gatwick drone incident?
-The couple from Crawley were arrested but later released, with their names and faces appearing in the national media.
What counter-drone technologies were mentioned in the script?
-Counter-drone technologies mentioned include the drone gun, which uses high-energy radio waves, drone force fields, and the US military's high-intensity laser systems.
What historical event in Japan involving drones is discussed in the script?
-The script discusses the Aum Shinrikyo cult's plan in the 1990s to use drones loaded with chemical and biological agents to cause mass destruction in Tokyo.
How did ISIS utilize drone technology in their operations?
-ISIS used drones for surveillance and to direct sniper fire and vehicle-borne IEDs. They also attached 40mm mortars and grenades to drones for precision attacks.
What is one of the potential positive uses of drone technology mentioned in the script?
-One positive use of drone technology mentioned is the potential for delivering medicines, blood, organs, and defibrillators to save lives.
What is the speaker's final thought on drones that they leave with the audience?
-The speaker suggests that while drones can be beneficial, we should also consider the kind of drone future we want and ensure proper regulation and counter-drone technologies are in place.
What is the significance of the counter-drone eagles mentioned in the script?
-The counter-drone eagles, named after the three musketeers, are trained to swoop in and take down drones at events like music festivals or sporting events.
What is the potential future scenario for drone use discussed in the script?
-The script discusses a future where thousands of drones fly above us daily for delivery purposes, with large warehouses on the city outskirts sending drones along existing highways, riverways, and train routes.
Outlines
🚁 Drone Chaos at Gatwick Airport
In December 2018, just before Christmas, a drone was spotted near Gatwick Airport, the UK's second-largest airport. This sighting led to a security nightmare as the initial report of one drone turned into multiple confirmed sightings. The incident disrupted thousands of flights, causing delays and cancellations. The police were involved in a 72-hour manhunt to identify and stop the drone operators. The incident raised questions about the control and intent behind drones, highlighting the potential risks and fears associated with their use. The narrative also touches on the broader implications of drone technology, including its potential misuse by terrorists and the need for effective countermeasures.
🌐 The Perils of Rogue Drones
This paragraph delves into the darker side of drone technology, showcasing its potential for misuse. It starts with the 1990s, detailing how the doomsday death cult Aum Shinrikyo attempted to use drones to spread chemical and biological agents over Tokyo. Although they ultimately opted for a more direct method, the threat was clear. The narrative then moves to 2015, where an environmental activist used a drone to spread radioactive material on the Japanese Prime Minister's residence. The discussion further explores how ISIS exploited drone technology for military purposes, using them to direct sniper fire and vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices. The paragraph concludes with examples of drone intrusions into sensitive areas, such as the White House and the Pentagon, emphasizing the need for robust counter-drone technologies.
🛡️ Countering the Drone Threat
The final paragraph focuses on the development of counter-drone technologies and the potential future of drone use. It mentions the deployment of high-tech solutions like the drone gun, which uses high-energy radio waves to disable drones, and drone force fields that can disrupt signals and prevent drones from entering restricted areas. The US military's high-intensity laser systems are also highlighted, capable of melting drones out of the sky. The paragraph acknowledges the potential benefits of drone technology, such as delivery services, but warns of the need for proper regulation and countermeasures to ensure safety. The speaker calls for vigilance and proactive measures to harness the benefits of drones while mitigating the risks.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Drone Technologies
💡Gatwick Debacle
💡Counter-Drone Technologies
💡Rogue Drones
💡Terrorist Drones
💡Drone Warfare
💡Drone Regulation
💡Industrial Quality Drones
💡Drone Swarming
💡Drone Delivery Systems
💡Drone Anxiety
Highlights
Drone technologies have a dark side, as demonstrated by the December 2018 incident at Gatwick Airport.
A drone was spotted near Gatwick Airport, causing chaos and leading to the cancellation or delay of over a thousand flights.
The incident at Gatwick involved multiple confirmed reports of drones, suggesting the use of industrial quality drones.
A security guard was the first to spot the drone, sparking a 72-hour game of cat and mouse with the police.
An innocent couple was arrested and their images were widely circulated in the media, highlighting the public's fear and speculation about the drone operators.
The UK's high-tech counter-drone technologies were deployed in response to the incident, reflecting a growing concern about drone misuse.
The speaker has been working on drone technologies for a decade, advising NATO and the UK Parliament on drone threats.
The fear of drones stems from the uncertainty of who controls them and their potential malicious intent.
Historical examples of rogue drone use include the 1990s Japanese doomsday cult's plan to use drones to disperse chemical and biological agents.
In 2015, an environmental activist used a drone to deliver radioactive material to the roof of the Japanese Prime Minister's house.
ISIS utilized drones in warfare, directing sniper fire and positioning explosive devices, and later developed drones capable of dropping grenades.
The success of ISIS's drone program led to threats against European cities, increasing anxiety about drone misuse.
There have been incidents of drones breaching secure areas, such as the White House and the Pentagon, demonstrating the vulnerability of high-security locations.
Counter-drone technologies are advancing, including the use of trained eagles, drone guns, and high-intensity laser systems.
Delivery drones are being tested and will soon become a common sight, raising questions about privacy and the impact on the environment.
The speaker emphasizes the need for proper regulation and counter-drone technologies to harness the benefits of drones while ensuring safety.
The audience is encouraged to consider the kind of drone future they want to see, highlighting the importance of public awareness and involvement.
Transcripts
[Music]
[Music]
have you ever wondered about the dark
side of drone technologies well let me
take you back to December 2018 to the
week just before Christmas think
brightly lit fern trees streets crowded
with shoppers lights on every corner and
thousands of people packed into airports
waiting to fly off around the world to
visit their loved ones it was set to be
the perfect Christmas but for a small
group of say 140,000 people or so this
was all about to change in a field just
outside Gatwick airports the UK's second
largest airport a drone was spotted high
in the night sky it was a security guard
who spotted this drone he was on his way
home from work after a long nine-hour
shift and he caught a glimpse of the
corner of his eye the green and red
flashing lights the drone dancing about
in the night sky almost like it wanted
to be seen and then as quickly as it
appeared it vanished and it was from
this point that the chaos began and I
became fascinated by this chaos because
I've been working on drones drone
technologies drone warfare drone
conflict everything drone for the last
decade or so I've advised NATO on
terrorist drones the UK Parliament on
how to regulate rogue drone technologies
and so when the Gatwick debacle started
to unfold I was contacted by a number of
media agencies to ask what exactly was
going on and how we could stop this
happening again in the future so what
actually happened at Gatwick on that
fateful day in December 2018
well the confirmed report of one drone
in the sky quickly turned into ninety
two different confirmed reports of
drones flying around the airport
industrial quality drones was the
buzzword of the day and what happened
next was a game of cat and mouse as a
police were brought in to try and find
out who was operating the drones and to
bring the drone or many drones out of
the sky astonishingly this went on for
the next 72 hours and a thousand flights
were diverted delayed or canceled but
this was just the beginning because over
the next week or so innocent couple a
man and a woman in a town just at the
road in Crawley were arrested and then
quickly released but their names and
their faces were plastered all over the
national media and the prime minister
sent in the UK's high-tech counter drone
battlefield technologies to make sure
that this wouldn't happen again and
people began to wonder who was
responsible for this was it the Russians
causing their usual mischief was it
terrorist infiltration and one or two
people said that actually maybe it was
just mass hysteria about the public
panic about the drones themselves just a
mirage in the sky based on anxiety and
the weird thing is is that we still
really don't know what happened or who
was behind this deployment of these toys
come potential weapons and I suppose
that's the point that's what makes us
fearful about drones
we don't know who's controlling them and
we don't know the intent behind them
they are ubiquitous they can be above us
below us or perilously outside of our
aeroplane window as we land at an
international airport so we have a
reason to be ever so slightly worried
about drone
systems and if we look back through the
recent history of rogue drone use these
worries become a little bit more
justified and perhaps compounded let me
take you back to the 1990s and to Japan
and specifically the terrorist doomsday
death cult called um sure Akio
now the leader of this doomsday death
cult was a guy called a sari and he had
a particular fascination with
high-technology and as a result early on
in the 90s he got hold of a small fleet
of drones and he fitted containers to
them but also ventilation fans and the
plan was simple fix them full of
chemical agents and biological agents
send them high above the skies of Tokyo
and release mayhem
death fear and destruction as they went
now in the end they went with a more
low-tech option and they released sarin
gas on the Tokyo subway killing thirteen
and tragically injuring five thousand
but the potential the perils of the
rogue drone were there to be seen now
let's jump to 2015 but back in Japan and
this time an environmental activist was
so upset about the Japanese government's
decision to reopen their nuclear
reactors after the 2011 Fukushima
earthquake that he went down to the
beaches of Fukushima got radioactive
material and radioactive sand put it
into a container then bought a drone off
the internet like any one of you could
do and then strapped that container to
the bottom of the drone and then flew it
high above the Japanese Prime Minister's
house landed it onto the roof and left
it radiating there for two weeks without
anybody noticing it was at this point
one or two of us in the drone world
looked up so to speak and thought there
was one or two worries on the horizon
and then it wasn't long before Isis got
hold of these drone technologies our
worst fear
coming true now Isis brought their
drones off the internet again like any
of us could do but they were also
supported by sympathizers back here in
Europe including here in Denmark and in
2019 we had five people who have been
prosecuted for supplying drone
technologist to Isis and what they did
was they took their pretty high quality
drones with 4k HD cameras sent them high
above the battlefield and used them to
direct their sniper fire and to position
their vehicle-borne improvised explosive
devices their car bombs to hit coalition
forces but this quickly progressed at a
pace terrorists aren't stupid they were
able to fix quite sophisticated
improvised release devices onto their
drones and then put 40 millimeter
mortars and grenades onto the bottom of
them and then send them out for as far
as three kilometres and then drop with
pinpoint precision these missiles onto
coalition and Special Forces but also
aid workers and civilians and in fact it
was Isis success in this drone program
that led them to put a threat across
Europe telling us all that European
cities and our homes would be next and
in fact was off the back of this Isis
threat that a lot of the anxiety about
drones in Europe and North America
started to take hold now it's important
to note that there has not been a
successful terrorist drone account
attack in Europe or North America yet
but there has been one or two worrying
events a couple of years ago a drunken
drone hobbyist a great combination took
his drone and flew it around the White
House a great idea
he then crashed that drone deep into the
grounds of the White House now this is
one of most protected buildings in the
world and it's quite worrying that a
simple drone could violate that airspace
let alone get through
deep into the grounds and this hasn't
been the only case the Pentagon just sat
the road one of the most important
military buildings in the United States
has on no less than 100 occasions had
drones breach its airspace the FBI have
been swarmed by drones police have been
attacked by drones and presidents in
Venezuela have almost been assassinated
by drones so perhaps there are one or
two reasons why we should be slightly
hesitant about quickly welcoming these
technologies into our lives but there is
some good news and that is that counter
drone technologies are becoming
increasingly sophisticated at a pace now
some of the technologies are a little
bit odd like the counter drone eagles
that are trained by the French and named
after the three musketeers because what
else would you name them after and they
swooped in to take down drones if
they're sent up at a music festival or
at a sporting event but on the other
side of things you have some really
quite high-tech options as well there's
the drone gun which is like a sci-fi
slash star trekky and phaser set from
stun to kill to take drones out of the
sky with high-energy radio waves
there's also drone force fields and you
can put disruptors around buildings you
don't want drones to go into and they
will cancel the signal out to the drone
the US military have even developed
their high intensity laser systems that
they've put on their armored vehicles so
they can literally melt drones out of
the sky so things are improving quite
quickly and not before time because soon
enough we will have thousands of drones
flying above us on a daily basis that
may sound over-the-top but big massive
online companies are already at the
rollout stage for the delivery drone
systems in places like Finland where
they're being tested
and soon enough you'll have large
warehouses on the edge of cities that
will have an endless march of drones
going into our cities along our existing
highways and our river ways and our
train routes flying above them using
these existing tributaries to get into
our cities and deliver goods to us and
that's good unless you like your
countryside without swarming drones all
over it and in fact it can be good
because we can have medicines we can
have Bloods we can have organs
defibrillators delivered to those people
in need and that can save lives but
there is a warning to be had as well we
need to learn the lessons from the
mistakes of things like Gatwick where we
didn't heed the problems of the past and
the warnings that were so obviously
there we need to keep the pressure on
our government and on industry and the
security forces and the commercial
actors to make sure the proper
regulation is in place but also the
proper counter drone technologies as
well only by doing this can we harness
the good of the drones but whilst
keeping us safe as well
so I suppose I'll leave you with one
final thought the next time you see a
drone high in the sky don't be too
worried but maybe have a second thought
and a think about the kind of drone
future that you want to see thank you
[Applause]
[Music]
[Music]
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