Digital Global Systems (DGS) and telent have agreed a three-year contract to install the CLEARSKY Drone Threat Management system at Bristol Airport, marking the first UK deployment of the system.

The system was developed by DGS in response to the rising threat of unauthorised drone usage at critical infrastructure sites, including airports. Its implementation at Bristol Airport, follows a successful three-month pilot project with Bristol Airport Authority, local police and other security agencies.

With the installation of this system, security staff and local police will be able to accurately detect, identify and monitor unauthorised drone activity in and around the airport. It detects the location of both the drone and drone operator and tracks them within the flight restriction zone outside of the airport. This information can be shown on a control room screen or via a mobile application, provided by application development partner Airpoint International, eliminating the need for manpower-intensive searches over large areas.

“Like all major airports, Bristol Airport is aware of the disruption that both unauthorised and malicious drone usage can cause,” said Javid Haq, airport security operations manager at Bristol Airport. “As an airport relied upon by thousands of daily domestic and international passengers, it is impossible to understate the importance of ensuring that we implement a high-performing and accurate drone threat system..”

The CLEARSKY system by DGS is a passive sensor network that provides drone detections within the flight restriction zone. Multiple sensors are networked to provide the airport with critical location information regarding the drone and its controller, as well as important characteristics that support classification of the drone.

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