A drone (UAV) is and unmanned aircraft flown remotely or
autonomously, with no pilot and no passengers on board. UAVs can
also be seen as components of unmanned aircraft systems (UASs),
which also include ground-based controllers and systems of
communications with the aircraft.
Remotely or autonomously controlled
No pilot on board
Drone detection technologies
HexTech takes a multi-layered approach to drone detection,
combining every available technology, such as DRID, RF,
radar, acoustic and optical to build the clearest possible
picture of what's happening in the airspace.
We integrate third-party sensors alongside our own and
continuously test different detection methods, so each
deployment delivers the best visibility for our clients.
01 + 02 layer //
Drone transponder detection
DJI Mavic 3[59.4359, 24.7299]
Interactive
Drone detected
DJI Mavic 3
S/N: 1581F45T123456789012
Drone location
59.4359, 24.7299
Operator ID
EST6x7d9s0l1m5n3
Pilot location
59.4338, 24.7337
Height
28 m
120 m90 m60 m30 m0 m
DRID //
Direct Remote-ID
DRID refers to Direct Remote Identification, the broadcast-based
identification signal mandated under EU drone regulation.
Compliant drones continuously broadcast via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth,
so anyone with a compatible receiver can read it without a
network connection.
DID //
DJI Drone-ID
DID refers to DJI Drone-ID, the identification signal that DJI
drones broadcast over their own proprietary radio protocol.
Because the format is DJI-specific rather than an open standard,
detecting and decoding it requires receivers built to recognize
DJI's signaling.
03 layer //
Radio frequency detection
FPV: Analog
RSSI
-105.5 dBm
Center frequency
2445 MHz
RF detection passively listens for the radio signals exchanged between a
drone and its controller, video downlinks, and identification broadcasts
like DJI DroneID or DRID.
As a dual-use technology, the same RF sensing that protects an airport
or power plant also underpins lawful spectrum monitoring, but it's blind
to RF-silent threats such as fully autonomous or fiber-optic-controlled
FPV drones.
04 layer //
Radar detection
Radar detection actively transmits radio waves and analyzes their
reflections to detect, locate, and track drones independent of whether
the drone emits any signal of its own.
The same radar that guards critical infrastructure and perimeter
surveillance also serves as traffic control. The downside is that small,
slow, low-flying drones can produce a faint radar signal that can be
lost amid birds and ground clutter.
05 layer //
Optical detection
UAV: 96%
Interactive
This is the layer that delivers a positive visual confirmation.
Cameras and infrared sensors, paired with computer-vision algorithms,
visually spot, classify, and track drones and capture evidence for
identification purposes.
Performance degrades with range, weather, fog, and cluttered visual
backgrounds, and it typically needs cueing from another sensor to
know where to look.
06 layer //
Acoustic detection
Interactive
Sensors' view Live
Mel frequency bin
120100806040200
Time frames
Acoustic detection passively listens for the distinctive sound signature
of a drone's motors and propellers, using microphone arrays to detect
and roughly localize threats including RF-silent drones and autonomous
drones with their own sensors.
With the right machine learning models, the same acoustic sensing
extends well beyond drones to detect other threats, such as Shaheds,
fighter jets, and other military activity by acoustic signature.
Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) over wide areas
Border and maritime patrol
Long-range strike missions
Communications relay in contested environments
Rotary-wing (military)
Close-range tactical reconnaissance where hover/VTOL matters
Shipboard operations
Urban/confined-area surveillance
"161009-N-PO203-371" by Office of Naval Research (U.S. Navy photo by John F. Williams) is licensed under CC BY 2.0. Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/usnavyresearch/30155582071
Hybrid-wing (military)
Missions needing both vertical takeoff and long-range cruise
Resupply to forward operating bases
Multi-role ISR
"БпЛА Buntar-3 – момент зльоту у VTOL режимі" (Buntar-3 UAV – vertical takeoff in VTOL mode) by YevHo, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:БпЛА_Buntar-3_–_момент_зльоту_у_VTOL_режимі.jpg
Drone operation, detection and mitigation rules and laws in the EU
Operational rules
Max altitude: 120 m above ground.
Drone must remain within visual line of sight.
Register if required: Most drones ≥250 g or with cameras require operator registration.
Respect no-fly zones: Check national airspace maps before every flight.
Rules are EU-wide: EASA regulations apply across member states, with some local restrictions.
Detection
Detecting, tracking and identifying drones is legal and does not require aviation authorization.
Privacy and data protection rules that stem from GDPR govern any imagery of identifiable people.
Active radars require licensing/emission licensing.
Passive detection with no signal emission (spectrum monitoring and signal interception) typically requires no license.
Mitigation
Authority-Based Response: Countermeasures require explicit legal authorization in most jurisdictions.
Critical Infrastructure Protection: Coordinate responses with aviation, police, or security authorities.
Risk Assessment Required: Evaluate threat, location, and potential harm before intervention.
Incident Reporting: Document actions, decisions, and outcomes for regulatory review.
