Drone strikes beyond the battlefield pump up market for technology to repel them

Drone incursions disrupting airports in Europe and strikes on oil fields in the Middle East are spurring a fast-growing market for radars, jammers and defensive craft to defend airports and infrastructure against new aerial threats.



Drone technology has caused upheaval at airports for years, with London's Gatwick Airport among those to have had to suspend flights due to drone alerts pre-2020. However, a fresh wave of incursions linked to wars in Ukraine and the Middle East has sent those concerns into overdrive.



Technological advances recently unveiled in response have included a gun-shaped tool from U.S. firm Dedrone that can jam drones, and a Boeing autonomous 'wingman' that flies with fighter jets, carrying counter-drone jammers and weapons in an interchangeable nose.



The field is drawing billions of dollars of investment, moving well beyond military use to sectors including energy, shipping, data centres, hotels and airports.

Avinor, which owns and operates 43 airports across Norway, is one company to have already installed a drone detection system at its operations to address the "disruptions and delays" civilian drone incursions have caused to air traffic.