Resources

I recently had the pleasure of presenting a talk with the same title at the 2023 Digital Forensics for National Security Symposium in College Park, MD. The thesis of the presentation seemed to strike a chord with the attendees, namely that our current mindset around digital forensics needs a bit of a reboot. To simplify things, I asked the audience to view the small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) forensic analysis process through two separate phases. I am calling phase one the “Takeoff” phase, where the aircraft is powered on and possibly airborne, and phase two the “Takedown” phase, where the aircraft is no longer airborne and is in the possession of a forensic examiner.

They are smuggling illegal narcotics into prisons, surveilling border patrol agents, disrupting sporting events, and wreaking havoc at airports across the country. Organizations across multiple industries are feeling the impacts of malicious drone use, and scrambling to implement detection and airspace management solutions in response. These solutions range from radar to radio frequency-based detection and most offer real-time alerting to the presence of a drone in the organization’s airspace. But for many who are receiving these intrusion alerts, there remains a key question: now what? What can I do in response?

Criminal use of drones is driving the need for sophisticated detection and counter-drone systems. Getting this technology into the hands of those who need it most – stadiums, prisons, airports, border patrol, critical infrastructure facilities – is only one piece of the solution. In the Detection -> Mitigation -> Recovery -> Forensic Investigation lifecycle, it is often an organization’s front-line workers who are left to handle the Recovery portion, but with little support or training around best practices for doing so. If the Recovery phase is mishandled, this can lead to a breakdown of the potential for follow-on examination. We should be empowering first responders with the knowledge needed to ensure proper seizure and recovery of a downed drone and enable them to lay the essential groundwork for a successful prosecution.

This Quick Reference Guide (QRG) is designed for anyone who in the capacity of their duties may be required to respond to a drone incident. This QRG incorporates data from INTERPOL’s Framework for Responding to a Drone Incident (January 2020), as well as standard practices around digital forensics, incident response, and crime scene procedures.

Every month, the FAA receives hundreds of reports of unauthorized drones entering restricted airspace. SkySafe Cloud gives airports the real-time drone data and analytics they need.

Drones pose a tremendous threat to public safety. They have already been responsible for illegally moving arms, cross-border drug smuggling, and are capable of far more malicious activity. SkySafe Cloud gives law enforcement critical real-time drone data to resolve threats.

Drones are a modern threat to stadium security and require a modern solution. SkySafe Cloud allows your team to secure your airspace, prevent stadium damage, and keep fans safe.

Malicious drones have already attacked power plants, power grids, and courthouses. Does your critical infrastructure have a drone emergency response plan? See how SkySafe Cloud provides the plug-and-play solution to keep your critical infrastructure protected from drones.

Drones make banned substances easily available and can introduce danger inside prisons everywhere. SkySafe Cloud provides comprehensive prison airspace management and prosecutor-ready reports.

Drones make it easy for gangs and traffickers to smuggle objects and people across the border. SkySafe Cloud’s border patrol drone data and analytics system allows border security to detect, identify, track, and analyze threats to ensure drone security.