This paper aims to introduce a standardized test methodology for drone detection, tracking, and identification systems. It is the aim that this standardized test methodology for assessing the performance of counter-drone systems will lead to a much better understanding of the capabilities of these solutions. This is urgently needed, as there is an increase in drone threats and there are no cohesive policies to evaluate the performance of these systems and hence mitigate and manage the threat. The presented methodology has been developed within the framework of the project COURAGEOUS funded by European Union’s Internal Security Fund Police. This standardized test methodology is based upon a series of standard user-defined scenarios representing a wide set of use cases. At this moment, these standard scenarios are geared toward civil security end users. However, the proposed standard methodology provides an open architecture where the standard scenarios can be modularly extended, providing standard users the possibility to easily add new scenarios. For each of these scenarios, operational needs and functional performance requirements are provided. Using this information, an integral test methodology is presented that allows for a fair qualitative and quantitative comparison between different counter-drone systems. The standard test methodology concentrates on the qualitative and quantitative evaluation of counter-drone systems. This test methodology was validated during three user-scripted validation trials.

In modern societies, the rampant growth of the Internet, both on the technological and social level, has created fertile ground for the emergence of new types of risk. On top of that, it enhances pre-existing threats by offering new means for accessing and exploiting Critical Infrastructures. As the kinds of potential threats evolve, the security, safety and resilience of these infrastructures must be updated accordingly, both at a prevention, as well as a real-time confrontation level. Our research approaches the security of these infrastructures with a focus on the data and utilization of every possible piece of information that derives from this ecosystem. Such a task is quite daunting, since the quantity of data that requires processing resides in the Big Dataspace. To address this, we introduce a new well-defined Information Life Cycle in order to properly model and optimise the way information flows through a modern security system. This life cycle covers all the possible stages, starting from the collection phase up until the exploitation of information intelligence. That ensures the efficiency of data processing and filtering while increasing both the veracity and validity of the final outcome. In addition, an agile Framework is introduced that is optimised to take full advantage of the Information Life Cycle. As a result, it exploits the generated knowledge taking the correct sequence of actions that will successfully address possible threats. This Framework leverages every possible data source that could provide vital information to Critical Infrastructures by performing analysis and data fusion being able to cope with data variety and variability. At the same time, it orchestrates the pre-existing processes and resources of these infrastructures. Through rigorous testing, it was found that response time against hazards was dramatically decreased. As a result, this Framework is an ideal candidate for strengthening and shielding the infrastructures’ resilience while improving management of the resources used.

This paper aims to introduce a standardized test methodology for drone detection, tracking and identification systems. It is the aim that this standardized test methodology for assessing the performance of counter-drone systems will lead to a much better understanding of the capabilities of these solutions. This is urgently needed, as there is an increase in drone threats and there are no cohesive policies to evaluate the performance of these systems and hence mitigate and manage the threat. The presented methodology has been developed within the framework of the project COURAGEOUS funded by European Union’s Internal Security Fund Police. This standardized test methodology is based upon a series of standard user-defined scenarios representing a wide set of use cases. At this moment, these standard scenarios are geared towards civil security end users. However, the proposed standard methodology provides an open architecture where the standard scenarios can modularly be extended, providing the standard users the possibility to easily add new scenarios. For each of these scenarios, operational needs and functional performance requirements are provided. Using this information, an integral test methodology is presented that allows for a fair qualitative and quantitative comparison between different counter-drone systems. The standard test methodology concentrates on the qualitative and quantitative evaluation of counter-drone systems. This test methodology was validated during three user-scripted validation trials.