The Edge of Drone Warfare | James Rogers | TEDxOdense

Summary

The 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

00:00

🚁 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.

05:02

🌐 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.

10:03

🛡️ 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.

Keywords

💡Drone Technologies

Drone technologies refer to the development, operation, and use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). In the video, this concept is central to the discussion of the potential misuse and security threats posed by drones, as well as the development of counter-drone measures. Examples include the Gatwick incident and the use of drones by terrorist organizations.

💡Gatwick Debacle

The Gatwick debacle refers to the disruption at Gatwick Airport in December 2018, where numerous drone sightings led to the cancellation or diversion of over a thousand flights. This incident is highlighted in the video to illustrate the impact of drone misuse on public safety and infrastructure.

💡Counter-Drone Technologies

Counter-drone technologies are systems designed to detect, intercept, and neutralize threats posed by malicious drones. The video discusses various types of these technologies, such as 'drone guns' and 'drone force fields,' which are being developed to protect against the misuse of drones.

💡Rogue Drones

Rogue drones are UAVs that are used for unauthorized or malicious purposes. The video script uses this term to describe drones involved in criminal or terrorist activities, such as the incidents in Japan and the threats made by ISIS.

💡Terrorist Drones

Terrorist drones are UAVs used by terrorist organizations for surveillance, directing attacks, or delivering explosives. The video mentions the use of such drones by ISIS to direct sniper fire and vehicle-borne IEDs, emphasizing the evolving threat landscape.

💡Drone Warfare

Drone warfare involves the use of drones in military operations, often for surveillance or targeted strikes. The speaker in the video has experience advising on this topic, and it is mentioned to establish their expertise and to contextualize the broader discussion on drone threats.

💡Drone Regulation

Drone regulation refers to the legal frameworks and policies that govern the use of drones to ensure safety and prevent misuse. The video discusses the need for proper regulation to prevent incidents like the Gatwick debacle and to address the risks posed by rogue drones.

💡Industrial Quality Drones

Industrial quality drones are high-grade UAVs designed for professional or commercial use, often with advanced capabilities. The video mentions these drones in the context of the Gatwick incident, where they were suspected to be used to disrupt airport operations.

💡Drone Swarming

Drone swarming is a tactic where multiple drones operate in a coordinated manner, often used for military or surveillance purposes. The video touches on this concept when discussing the potential for drones to be used in large numbers for delivery services or other applications.

💡Drone Delivery Systems

Drone delivery systems involve the use of UAVs to transport goods or services, often as part of a commercial operation. The video mentions the potential benefits and concerns associated with the widespread adoption of such systems, including the delivery of essential medical supplies.

💡Drone Anxiety

Drone anxiety refers to the public concern or fear about the potential misuse or negative consequences of drone technology. The video discusses this anxiety in the context of the Gatwick incident and the broader implications of drone proliferation for public safety.

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]