Navigating the Drone Threat: Technology, Policy, and the Path Ahead (Part 2)

by Seth Eaton, VP of Technology Innovation at Amentum

Click here to listen to the podcast episode “Navigating the Drone Threat – Understanding the Expanding Counter-UAS Landscape (Part II)” on Spotify

Click here to listen to the podcast episode “Navigating the Drone Threat – Understanding the Expanding Counter-UAS Landscape (Part I)” on Spotify

Welcome back to “What the Tech?”, where we explore how Amentum is delivering advanced engineering and technology solutions to address the world’s most urgent challenges. In our latest episode, we continued our conversation with Kris Meyer, Amentum’s Global Director of Counter Unmanned Systems. If you joined us for Part 1 of Navigating the Drone Threat, you heard about the growing risks posed by drones and what Counter-UAS (C-UAS) actually means. In Part 2, we took a deeper dive where we explored the policy hurdles, technical complexities, and what’s on the horizon for defending against these fast-evolving threats.

Real-World Hurdles: Risk, Resources, and Regulation

One of the biggest challenges in deploying C-UAS technology? It comes down to a constant balancing act between risk and resources. As Kris put it, leaders must first understand the specific threats they face, because that understanding drives budget decisions and deployment strategies. And unfortunately, the threat isn’t just technical, it’s also legal and policy-driven.

Current federal law treats drones as aircraft, placing strict limitations on who can take action against them. As of now, only four federal agencies, DoD, DHS, DOJ, and DOE can legally mitigate drone threats. That means your local sheriff can’t stop a drone, even if it’s hovering suspiciously nearby. This legal framework, combined with the complexity of distinguishing between harmless and hostile drones (is it a utility company inspecting power lines or a surveillance threat?), makes the situation all the more difficult.

Suitability and Scalability: One Size Doesn’t Fit All

Kris emphasized that environment matters. What works in a wide-open desert might fail in a dense urban area or over open water. Agencies need solutions tailored to different terrains, budgets, and operational requirements. Beyond just effectiveness, decision-makers must also weigh how easy systems are to train on, maintain, and integrate across agencies.

This is where Amentum shines, by applying lessons learned from supporting combatant command (Cocom) experimentation, DoD warfare labs, and real-world R&D. We pull together insights from across mission spaces to offer comprehensive, scalable solutions.

Technology in the Fast Lane

As drones get smarter, smaller, and more autonomous, counter-drone tech is racing to keep up. AI is at the heart of many of these advancements, from smarter signal detection to advanced computer vision that can tell the difference between a bird and a DJI drone.

Radar systems are improving, but detecting lightweight drones at long range remains a challenge. The industry is pushing to expand effective detection out to 10 miles and beyond. Meanwhile, camera systems and RF sensors are being supercharged by AI and machine learning to improve accuracy, responsiveness, and longevity in the field.

Some of the most fascinating emerging tools include:

• Net-capture drones that physically snag hostile drones mid-air
• Spoofing GPS to confuse enemy systems
• High-powered microwaves and lasers (though their use is often limited by safety and policy constraints)
• Acoustic disruption tools that interfere with flight stability

What the Future Holds

Looking ahead, Kris painted a picture of a drone-filled future where swarms of autonomous systems, possibly without any radio signals, present an even tougher challenge. This makes traditional detection and mitigation increasingly difficult. That’s why research and development can’t stop, and collaboration across agencies and organizations is critical.

We may also see more passive protective solutions like physical cages, rooftops over open-air venues, or barriers designed to stop drones from reaching sensitive locations. In the future, it won’t just be about “stopping” drones—it’ll be about designing environments that make drone threats ineffective from the start.

The Call to Collaborate

Kris closed the episode with a powerful reminder: the only way we stay ahead is together. Today’s R&D efforts are often siloed, and that limits effectiveness. Breaking down those stovepipes and sharing knowledge across government and industry is key to evolving faster than the threat.

As the C-UAS landscape continues to shift, Amentum is committed to leading with innovation, integrity, and insight. We’ll keep connecting stakeholders, advancing technologies, and helping secure the skies.  The future of security depends on it.

Until next time, stay curious, everybody.

Seth