How does an autonomous security drone work?

So, what exactly is a security drone?

First things first, when we talk about drones in this context we are referring to small (sub 25kg), multi-rotor aircraft, which are available for commercial purchase.

Some of the features that make a drone suitable for security applications are:

• • • An ability to function safely, even in inclement weather
    • On-board cameras that can capture high-resolution video footage (both visual and infrared)
    • Allows easy integration with third-party hardware and software applications
    • Can be connected to the internet (via cloud services)

An example of the type of drone commonly adopted for an array of commercial drone applications is the DJI Matrice 300 (see image below). This aircraft meets all of the key features listed above, making it the perfect starting point for drone-based security.

How does an autonomous security drone work?

Most modern drones already have the capability to fly in a highly automated state – by that, I mean that the drone uses GPS to automatically fly itself between “waypoints” (user-defined points on a map). This is not dissimilar to the principle of the “autopilot” system you’d find on a commercial airliner.

HOWEVER, having an ability to safely navigate from one waypoint to another, without any human input, is only part of the story when it comes to a fully autonomous security drone.

To understand the meaning of the word “autonomous”, we can turn to a great interpretation from technology experts, Technopedia. They talk about the use of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning to make things work without human guidance or direct intervention. The last part of that sentence is important, and should be remembered whenever you hear the word autonomous; not just in the context of drones, but with any sort of technology.

In actual fact, if we consider a common security task that many companies wish to automate, we arrive at perimeter patrols. In this example, having a drone that can fly itself is only the tip of the iceberg – in order to be able to remove the human from this task, the system also needs to:

• • • Include a weather-proof docking station from which the drone will launch and land automatically
    • Monitor weather conditions, both real-time and forecasted and decide whether a flight is safe to proceed
    • Automatically fly a pre-programmed route, whilst avoiding fixed and mobile obstacles
    • Think and react like a competent drone pilot at all times and have intelligent failsafe actions that can be deployed in the event of an emergency
    • Operate in the hours of darkness
    • Provide intrusion notifications (and video feeds) to a control room that could be hundreds of miles away from the site
    • Share real-time footage with those who’ll handle the intrusion

The graphic below does a good job of showing the workflow of an autonomous security patrol.