Detection and interdiction of drones with respect to controlled-environment facilities
Systems and methods for detection and interdiction of drone vehicles with respect to controlled-environment facilities may monitor electromagnetic signals originating within or transiting operational boundaries associated with a controlled-environment facility, receive the electromagnetic signals originating within or transiting the operational boundaries associated with the controlled-environment facility, and analyze the received electromagnetic signals to determine if the received electromagnetic signals are controlling or associated with a drone. This monitoring may be carried-out by a software-defined radio associated with a central access point of a wireless communications managed access system of the controlled-environment facility and the electromagnetic signals may be received by the software-defined radio of the managed access system (central access point). Responding to the drone controlled by the drone control signals may include monitoring the drone control signals, alerting authorities to the drone, jamming the drone control signals, co-opting control of the drone, and/or the like.
1. A controlled-environment facility counter-drone detection system comprising:
a central access point configured to receive and monitor electromagnetic signals from within a boundary associated with a controlled-environment facility; and
an analysis module for determining if received and monitored electromagnetic signals are originating from or are controlling a drone toward the controlled-environment facility.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the central access point is a central access point of a wireless communications managed access system of the controlled-environment facility and the electromagnetic signals are received by a software-defined radio associated with the managed access system central access point tuned to monitor for drone control signals.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the electromagnetic signals are radio frequency signals in a band capable of controlling drones.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the electromagnetic signals are radio frequency signals in a band associated with drones.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the electromagnetic signals are radio frequency signals in a band licensed for controlling drones.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the boundaries associated with the controlled-environment facility extend beyond property boundaries of the controlled-environment facility.
7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the analysis module further determines whether the received and monitored electromagnetic signals are directing the drone toward the controlled-environment facility.
8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the central access point is further configured to receive and monitor electromagnetic signals originating from a predefined area extending beyond the boundaries associated with the controlled-environment facility.
9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the drone response module is further configured to take drone countermeasures in response to the analysis module determining that received and monitored electromagnetic signals are drone control signals.
10. The system of claim 9 wherein the drone countermeasures comprise alerting authorities to the drone being in a vicinity of the controlled-environment facility, approaching the controlled-environment facility, and/or being over the controlled-environment facility.
11. The system of claim 9 wherein the drone countermeasures comprise jamming the drone control signals.
12. The system of claim 9 wherein the drone countermeasures comprise co-opting control of the drone.
13. The system of claim 9 wherein the drone countermeasures comprise monitoring the drone control signals.
14. A method comprising:
monitoring, via a central access point of a wireless communications managed access system of a controlled-environment facility, electromagnetic signals originating within or transiting operational boundaries associated with the controlled-environment facility;
receiving, via the central access point of the wireless communications managed access system of the controlled-environment facility, the electromagnetic signals originating within or transiting the operational boundaries associated with the controlled-environment facility; and
analyzing received electromagnetic signals to determine if the received electromagnetic signals are originating from or are controlling a drone toward the controlled-environment facility.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the monitoring is carried-out by a software-defined radio associated with the central access point of the wireless communications managed access system of the controlled-environment facility and the electromagnetic signals are received by the software-defined radio of the managed access system.
16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the monitoring and receiving of electromagnetic signals are carried out in radio frequency bands capable of controlling drones.
17. The method of claim 14 , wherein the operational boundaries associated with the controlled-environment facility extend beyond property boundaries of the controlled-environment facility.
18. The method of claim 14 , wherein the electromagnetic signals originate from a predefined area extending beyond the operational boundaries associated with the controlled-environment facility.
19. The method of claim 14 , further comprising determining whether the received and monitored electromagnetic signals are directing the drone toward the controlled-environment facility.
20. The method of claim 14 , further comprising responding to the drone controlled by the drone control signals.
21. The method of claim 20 , wherein responding to the drone further comprises alerting authorities to the drone in the vicinity of the controlled-environment facility, approaching the controlled-environment facility, and/or over the controlled-environment facility.
22. The method of claim 20 , wherein responding to the drone further comprises jamming the drone control signals.
23. The method of claim 20 , wherein responding to the drone further comprises co-opting control of the drone.
24. The method of claim 20 , wherein responding to the drone further comprises monitoring the drone control signals.
25. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having program instructions stored thereon that, upon execution by a controlled-environment facility managed wireless communication access system, cause the controlled-environment facility managed wireless communication access system to:
monitor electromagnetic signals in frequency bands capable of controlling drones originating within or transiting operational boundaries associated with a controlled-environment facility using one or more radios associated with a central access point of the controlled-environment facility managed wireless communication access system;
receive the electromagnetic signals in the frequency bands capable of controlling drones originating within the operational boundaries associated with the controlled-environment facility by the one or more radios;
analyze received electromagnetic signals to determine if the received electromagnetic signals are controlling or originating from a drone to direct the drone toward the controlled-environment facility; and
respond to presence of the drone controlled by the drone control signals.
26. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 25 , wherein the program instructions cause the controlled-environment facility managed wireless communication access system to respond to the presence of the drone by alerting authorities to the drone in the vicinity of the controlled-environment facility, approaching the controlled-environment facility, and/or over the controlled-environment facility.
27. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 25 , wherein the program instructions cause the controlled-environment facility managed wireless communication access system to respond to the presence of the drone by emitting one or more signals to jam the drone control signals.
28. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 25 , wherein the program instructions cause the controlled-environment facility managed wireless communication access system to respond to the presence of the drone by transmitting one or more signals to co-opt control of the drone.
29. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 25 , wherein the program instructions cause the controlled-environment facility managed wireless communication access system to respond to the presence of the drone by monitoring the drone control signals.