UAS Live Incursion Drills Survey

Abstract

Unmanned aircraft systems (UAS/drones) are rapidly evolving and are considered an emerging threat by nuclear facilities throughout the world. Due to the wide range of UAS capabilities, members of the workforce and security/response force personnel need to be prepared for a variety of drone incursion situations. Tabletop exercises are helpful, but actual live exercises are often needed to evaluate the quick chain of events that might ensue during a real drone fly-in and the essential kinds of information that will help identify the type of drone and pilot. Even with drone detection equipment, the type of UAS used for incursion drills can have a major impact on detection altitude and finding the UAS in the sky. Using a variety of UAS, the U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Office of International Nuclear Security (INS) would like to offer partners the capability of adding actual UAS into workforce and response exercises to improve overall UAS awareness as well as the procedures that capture critical steps in dealing with intruding drones.