Nearly seven million drones, or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), take flight in the UK every year, putting business and homeowners security measures at potential risk. In the latest of our Delta Insights, we sat down with David, Founder of Delta Security Management, to understand precisely what risks and threats drone use in the UK has.
What is machine learning, and how can it impact us?
Many drone manufacturers have partnered with some of the very best alarm and security organisations to enhance home security, such as connecting to smart devices, for example, image sensors and surveillance cameras. Whilst this has a significant impact on protecting your home, you cannot ignore the potentially involved risks such as a data breach or hack, which would be catastrophic for many.
Can a drone video your premises?
Whilst it is now a legal requirement to sit a flying exam, pretty much anyone can purchase a drone within the UK. These clever vehicles are capable of looking right into your premises or undertaking surveillance without you even knowing! Weighing in at just 196g and spanning 6cm, the bug drone has a radius of 2km and is capable of hiding out in the smallest of places, watching you and your behaviour.
Can a drone follow me?
It sure can! We're becoming increasingly aware of drone activity supporting or participating in both home and business burglary. Drones are clever; they are set to watch and follow the last person to vacate for the evening and will most likely know precisely when you'll be back on site. Pretty scary, eh?
Add into this the risk of ‘Drone hacking’ where somebody can take control of a drone being used quite innocently, and use it for criminal reconnaissance, it’s understandable to be concerned by the possible risks they pose.
You've explained the risks associated with drone activity, but how can we avoid these?
It's easier said than done, but we recommend keeping your wits about you at all times. Machine learning is clever, impactful and quick; therefore, your passwords and activity history should be changed and deleted frequently to avoid a potential data breach.
Installing simple blinds or curtains within your premises will make it more difficult for a drone to peer in at your most vulnerable times. We recommend ensuring any trees or foliage are cut back and remain low to avoid the criminals getting the perfect birdseye view of your premises.
Ensure your movements are sporadic, don't make it easy for potential intruders to follow you or resight your routine. We recommend utilising the services of a mobile patrol company to conduct random searches and premises checks to ensure there is no suspicious activity whilst you're offsite.
Utilise motion sensor CCTV for home and business, which will pick up drone movement in and around the perimeter.
Anti-drone technology is, unfortunately, very expensive, and currently only really accessible to the military and Police services. Thankfully Police have been given increased powers to be able to clamp down on drone misuse, and we can expect further legislation in the future to keep up with the technology that drones may use as they evolve significantly.
Now that you've seen a small snippet about how we ensure your business is protected, we'd love to share further advice and tips with your business. So, contact our friendly and knowledgeable team for a free quote or advice about securing your business premises today by emailing us at info@deltasm.co.uk.
