Integrating Counter-UAS Systems into the UTM System for Reliable Decision Making

Abstract: Despite significant progress, the deployment of UAV technology in commercial and civil applications is still lagging. This is essentially due to the risks associated with drone flights and the lack of coordinated technologies that would mitigate these risks. While Unmanned Aircraft System Traffic Management systems (UTM) are being developed worldwide to enable safe operation, the counter-drone technology operates on an all-enemy basis and regards any sighted drone as a threat. This situation is essentially caused by the lack of information exchange between stakeholders. Without the exchange of relevant information, a counter-drone system can misclassify drones and initiate erroneous interdiction procedures. This paper proposes a system that integrates counter-drone technology into the UTM system for information exchange and coordination using a set of clarification protocols towards accountable response to sighted drones. The system functionality and performance were evaluated by simulation.